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Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied [boxes 1-4], 1840/1898","Box 2","Folder 3","Topics include:","Politics: Items 403-406, 408-410, 412-418, 420 (government appointments; new state, slavery, and constitution; Union supporter in Dakota Territory)","Government/War: Items 407, 419 (memorial for the Army, reparations for stolen property)","Family and Friends: Items 402, 408, 410 (smallpox epidemic at Dickinson College town, problems with war rumors in Morgantown)","Law/Business: Item 411 (Morgantown business)"],"parent_unittitles_ssm":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917","Series 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied [boxes 1-4], 1840/1898"],"parent_unittitles_tesim":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917","Series 1a. 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For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website."],"date_range_isim":[1862],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eTopics include:\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e Politics: Items 403-406, 408-410, 412-418, 420 (government appointments; new state, slavery, and constitution; Union supporter in Dakota Territory) \u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eGovernment/War: Items 407, 419 (memorial for the Army, reparations for stolen property) \u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eFamily and Friends: Items 402, 408, 410 (smallpox epidemic at Dickinson College town, problems with war rumors in Morgantown) \u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLaw/Business: Item 411 (Morgantown business)\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Contents"],"scopecontent_tesim":["Topics include:","Politics: Items 403-406, 408-410, 412-418, 420 (government appointments; new state, slavery, and constitution; Union supporter in Dakota Territory)","Government/War: Items 407, 419 (memorial for the Army, reparations for stolen property)","Family and Friends: Items 402, 408, 410 (smallpox epidemic at Dickinson College town, problems with war rumors in Morgantown)","Law/Business: Item 411 (Morgantown business)"],"_nest_path_":"/components#0/components#20","timestamp":"2026-09-01T16:09:24.514Z","collection":{"numFound":1,"start":0,"numFoundExact":true,"docs":[{"id":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","ead_ssi":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","_root_":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","_nest_parent_":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","ead_source_url_ssi":"data/oai/WVU/repositories_2_resources_2345.xml","aspace_url_ssi":"https://archives.lib.wvu.edu/ark:/99999/196411","title_ssm":["Waitman T. Willey Papers"],"title_tesim":["Waitman T. Willey Papers"],"unitdate_ssm":["1820-1917"],"unitdate_inclusive_ssm":["1820-1917"],"normalized_date_ssm":["1820/1917"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917"],"text":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917","A\u0026M 0003","Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","/repositories/2/resources/2345","Monongalia County (W. Va.)","United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government","United States -- Politics and government","Politics and government.","Secession","Temperance","Politicians -- United States","Statehood politics -- West Virginia","Diaries","No special access restriction applies.","Researchers may access digitized materials by requesting to view the materials in person by appointment or remotely by contacting the West Virginia \u0026 Regional History Center reference department.","Waitman Thomas Willey, West Virginia pioneer, lawyer, Methodist churchman, and United States Senator, was born October 18, 1811, at Buffalo Creek, Virginia (near Fairmont in Marion County, West Virginia), the son of William Willey, Jr., former Revolutionary War soldier under General Anthony Wayne, and Sarah Barnes, a member of a prominent family of northwestern Virginia.","Willey's first twelve years were spent at Buffalo Creek where his father's farm was a frontier homestead isolated from the few towns in the area. In 1823, the family (which now included stepmother, Mary McCormack Willey) moved to a farm on the Monongahela River in Monongalia County near present-day Rivesville. Here, Willey received a rudimentary formal education with readings from the classics and the Bible.","In 1827, Willey walked the forty miles from his home to Uniontown, Pennsylvania to attend Madison College (later Allegheny College) where he excelled in classical studies and mathematics. After three and one half years he received a B.A. degree, and then read law in the office of Philip Doddridge and John Campbell in Wellsburg, Brooke County, Virginia. He was admitted to the bar in 1833; in addition, he received an M.A. degree from Augusta College in Kentucky in 1834.","Willey settled in Morgantown, Monongalia County, Virginia, in 1832, with his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Patrick Ray, a prominent citizen of Morgantown who was Clerk of the Court and a founder of the Morgantown Female Academy (to which he gave his home). The Willey family subsequently included seven children: Mary Ellen, wife of Dr. M.L. Casselberry of Morgantown; Sarah Barnes, wife of J. Marshall Hagans, distinguished judge; William Patrick, professor of law at West Virginia University; Julia, wife of Major William McGrew, Union Army officer, West Virginia state senator, and Morgantown banker; Thomas Ray, United States government clerk in the Interior Department; Louisa, unmarried, who remained at home; and John Byrne, deputy clerk of Monongalia County.","Waitman T. Willey maintained a successful and lucrative law practice in Morgantown for 67 years. He served as Monongalia County Clerk and clerk of the Circuit Superior Court from 1841 to 1852, and was Morgantown's first Superintendent of Schools. Willey had an early interest in politics and was an active member of the conservative Whig Party: he served as an elector for the Harrison-Tyler election of 1840, was an unsuccessful Whig candidate for Congress in 1852, an unsuccessful Opposition (Whig Party) candidate for Lt. Governor of Virginia in 1859, and a delegate to the Constitutional Union Party convention which nominated Bell and Everett for President and Vice President in 1860. In 1850, Willey had been a delegate to the Virginia Constitutional Convention where he championed western Virginia interests, white manhood suffrage, and governmental reforms. Again, in 1861, he was a delegate to the Virginia Convention that voted for secession (Willey voted against it). In the subsequent, Pro-Union, reorganized legislature (the \"Restored Government of Virginia at Wheeling\"), Willey was elected to Congress to complete the term of James M. Mason for two years. While in the Senate, Willey actively introduced legislation to admit West Virginia into the Union. The Reorganized Government proposed a new state Constitution that Willey supported in Congress in 1862. Following revision of the proposal to include emancipation of slaves and a favorable referendum by the West Virginia voters, statehood was achieved in 1863.","Willey returned to the Senate in 1863 and was elected to the full six-year term in 1865. During his tenure, he initially opposed Republican lawmakers over issues involving the war, confiscation of rebel property, and slavery. But because of his \"ardent support\" of the Union, Willey's political views evolved through the years to support Republican aims, including national emancipation of slaves and disenfranchisement of disloyal citizens. He considered the latter appropriate in order to keep \"southern sympathizers\" from gaining control of West Virginia and perhaps reuniting the state with Virginia. Although Willey was aligned with conservative Republicans in the Senate, he did vote for the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Reconstruction Acts, the removal of President Johnson, and the 14th and 15th Amendments. He opposed the Freedman's Bureau and the Enforcement Acts of 1870. Many in West Virginia opposed Republican Party policies, and in 1870 the party lost control of state government. Willey left the Senate in 1871 and returned to his Morgantown law practice and the County Clerkship (1882-1890).","Willey remained active in politics throughout his later life. He served in the 1872 State Constitutional Convention and supported Republican Party policies and candidates, and was chairman of the West Virginia delegation to the GOP National Convention in 1876. He also continued his active service in the Methodist Church where he was an advocate for lay participation in the national conference and served as delegate from West Virginia in 1880. Willey was much in demand as a public speaker throughout his life -- he was called, \"old man eloquent\" -- because of his commanding appearance, \"thrilling\" voice, evident sincerity, and knowledge. He spoke frequently on Temperance, Methodist beliefs, politics, the classics, and history. He collected a large library, wrote numerous articles and a biography of Philip Doddridge. He received several honorary degrees, including LLD from Allegheny College and West Virginia University. Willey's last public appearance was at the funeral of Governor Pierpont when he gave a \"stirring\" eulogy. He was 88 years of age.","Waitman T. Willey, \"Grand Old Man of West Virginia,\" died May 2, 1900, at his home, Chancery Hill, in Morgantown. His funeral was the largest ever held in Morgantown to that time. He was interred in Oak Grove Cemetery.","Notes:\n1. In June, 1861, Willey was not present at the second convention in Wheeling at which the Reorganized Government of Virginia was established in preparation for statehood. His father and stepmother were fatally ill at the time and he was at home.","2. Willey never wrote a history of the statehood deliberations, politics, or conventions. He felt he was too biased to do justice to the history. No history was ever written by the participants.","Bibliography:\n1. Ambler, C.H.; Waitman Thomas Willey, 1954, Standard Printing and Publishing C., Huntington, W. Va.","2. Corson, L.D.; Legislative Career of Waitman T. Willey, 1942, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","3. Moore, J.T.; \"Waitman T. Willey,\" in Dictionary of American Biography, p. 426.","4. Obituary, Morgantown Weekly Post, Thursday, May 10, 1900.","5. Ware, A.F.; A Study of the Rhetoric of Waitman T. Willey in the West Virginia Statehood Movement, 1952, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","6. White, L.C.; West Virginia and Her U.S. Senators in the Impeachment of President Andrew Johnson, 1928, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","7. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Liberty and Union,\" 1854, Wheeling, J.E. Wharton, publisher. A speech.","8. Willey, Waitman T.; address delivered before the Constitutional Convention of West Virginia in the City of Wheeling, 12 February 1863.","9. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Historical Address,\" Celebration of the Municipal Centennial of Morgantown, 1885.","10. Willey, William P.; The Formation of the State of West Virginia, 1901, The News Publishing Co., Wheeling, W. Va.","Prepared by Carole B. Boyd, M.D., 2000.","1361","Papers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material.","Series include:","Series 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied, 1840–1898, boxes 1-4\nSeries 1b. Incoming Correspondence -- Non-Transcribed/Not Copied, 1833–1900, boxes 4-16\nSeries 2. Financial Records, 1837–1869, boxes 17-18\nSeries 3. Legal Papers, 1820–1856, boxes 19-20\nSeries 4. W.T. Willey's Diary, 1830–1908, boxes 21-22\nSeries 5. Miscellaneous, 1827-1917, undated, box 22 and unboxed","Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website.","Papers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material. For more information about Willey, see the Historical Note.","West Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536  / URL: West Virginia \u0026 Regional History Center","West Virginia and Regional History Center","United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)","Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, William P. (William Patrick)","English\n."],"collection_title_tesim":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917"],"collection_ssim":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917"],"level_ssm":["collection"],"level_ssim":["Collection"],"unitid_ssm":["A\u0026M 0003","Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","/repositories/2/resources/2345"],"unitid_tesim":["A\u0026M 0003","Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","/repositories/2/resources/2345"],"repository_ssm":["West Virginia and Regional History Center"],"repository_ssim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center"],"geogname_ssm":["Monongalia County (W. Va.)","United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government","United States -- Politics and government"],"geogname_ssim":["Monongalia County (W. Va.)","United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government","United States -- Politics and government"],"places_ssim":["Monongalia County (W. Va.)","United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government","United States -- Politics and government"],"creator_ssm":["Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900"],"creator_ssim":["Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900"],"creator_persname_ssim":["Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, William P. (William Patrick)"],"creator_corpname_ssim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center","United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)"],"creators_ssim":["Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, William P. (William Patrick)","West Virginia and Regional History Center","United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)"],"access_terms_ssm":["Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website."],"access_subjects_ssim":["Politics and government.","Secession","Temperance","Politicians -- United States","Statehood politics -- West Virginia","Diaries"],"access_subjects_ssm":["Politics and government.","Secession","Temperance","Politicians -- United States","Statehood politics -- West Virginia","Diaries"],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"extent_ssm":["9.2 Linear Feet Summary: 9 ft. 2 1/4 in. (22 document cases, 5 in. each); (1 oversize folder, 1/4 in.)"],"extent_tesim":["9.2 Linear Feet Summary: 9 ft. 2 1/4 in. (22 document cases, 5 in. each); (1 oversize folder, 1/4 in.)"],"genreform_ssim":["Diaries"],"date_range_isim":[1820,1821,1822,1823,1824,1825,1826,1827,1828,1829,1830,1831,1832,1833,1834,1835,1836,1837,1838,1839,1840,1841,1842,1843,1844,1845,1846,1847,1848,1849,1850,1851,1852,1853,1854,1855,1856,1857,1858,1859,1860,1861,1862,1863,1864,1865,1866,1867,1868,1869,1870,1871,1872,1873,1874,1875,1876,1877,1878,1879,1880,1881,1882,1883,1884,1885,1886,1887,1888,1889,1890,1891,1892,1893,1894,1895,1896,1897,1898,1899,1900,1901,1902,1903,1904,1905,1906,1907,1908,1909,1910,1911,1912,1913,1914,1915,1916,1917],"accessrestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eNo special access restriction applies.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eResearchers may access digitized materials by requesting to view the materials in person by appointment or remotely by contacting the \u003ca href=\"https://westvirginia.libanswers.com/wvrhc\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eWest Virginia \u0026amp; Regional History Center reference department\u003c/a\u003e. \u003c/p\u003e  "],"accessrestrict_heading_ssm":["Conditions Governing Access"],"accessrestrict_tesim":["No special access restriction applies.","Researchers may access digitized materials by requesting to view the materials in person by appointment or remotely by contacting the West Virginia \u0026 Regional History Center reference department."],"bioghist_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eWaitman Thomas Willey, West Virginia pioneer, lawyer, Methodist churchman, and United States Senator, was born October 18, 1811, at Buffalo Creek, Virginia (near Fairmont in Marion County, West Virginia), the son of William Willey, Jr., former Revolutionary War soldier under General Anthony Wayne, and Sarah Barnes, a member of a prominent family of northwestern Virginia.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWilley's first twelve years were spent at Buffalo Creek where his father's farm was a frontier homestead isolated from the few towns in the area. In 1823, the family (which now included stepmother, Mary McCormack Willey) moved to a farm on the Monongahela River in Monongalia County near present-day Rivesville. Here, Willey received a rudimentary formal education with readings from the classics and the Bible.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eIn 1827, Willey walked the forty miles from his home to Uniontown, Pennsylvania to attend Madison College (later Allegheny College) where he excelled in classical studies and mathematics. After three and one half years he received a B.A. degree, and then read law in the office of Philip Doddridge and John Campbell in Wellsburg, Brooke County, Virginia. He was admitted to the bar in 1833; in addition, he received an M.A. degree from Augusta College in Kentucky in 1834.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWilley settled in Morgantown, Monongalia County, Virginia, in 1832, with his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Patrick Ray, a prominent citizen of Morgantown who was Clerk of the Court and a founder of the Morgantown Female Academy (to which he gave his home). The Willey family subsequently included seven children: Mary Ellen, wife of Dr. M.L. Casselberry of Morgantown; Sarah Barnes, wife of J. Marshall Hagans, distinguished judge; William Patrick, professor of law at West Virginia University; Julia, wife of Major William McGrew, Union Army officer, West Virginia state senator, and Morgantown banker; Thomas Ray, United States government clerk in the Interior Department; Louisa, unmarried, who remained at home; and John Byrne, deputy clerk of Monongalia County.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWaitman T. Willey maintained a successful and lucrative law practice in Morgantown for 67 years. He served as Monongalia County Clerk and clerk of the Circuit Superior Court from 1841 to 1852, and was Morgantown's first Superintendent of Schools. Willey had an early interest in politics and was an active member of the conservative Whig Party: he served as an elector for the Harrison-Tyler election of 1840, was an unsuccessful Whig candidate for Congress in 1852, an unsuccessful Opposition (Whig Party) candidate for Lt. Governor of Virginia in 1859, and a delegate to the Constitutional Union Party convention which nominated Bell and Everett for President and Vice President in 1860. In 1850, Willey had been a delegate to the Virginia Constitutional Convention where he championed western Virginia interests, white manhood suffrage, and governmental reforms. Again, in 1861, he was a delegate to the Virginia Convention that voted for secession (Willey voted against it). In the subsequent, Pro-Union, reorganized legislature (the \"Restored Government of Virginia at Wheeling\"), Willey was elected to Congress to complete the term of James M. Mason for two years. While in the Senate, Willey actively introduced legislation to admit West Virginia into the Union. The Reorganized Government proposed a new state Constitution that Willey supported in Congress in 1862. Following revision of the proposal to include emancipation of slaves and a favorable referendum by the West Virginia voters, statehood was achieved in 1863.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWilley returned to the Senate in 1863 and was elected to the full six-year term in 1865. During his tenure, he initially opposed Republican lawmakers over issues involving the war, confiscation of rebel property, and slavery. But because of his \"ardent support\" of the Union, Willey's political views evolved through the years to support Republican aims, including national emancipation of slaves and disenfranchisement of disloyal citizens. He considered the latter appropriate in order to keep \"southern sympathizers\" from gaining control of West Virginia and perhaps reuniting the state with Virginia. Although Willey was aligned with conservative Republicans in the Senate, he did vote for the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Reconstruction Acts, the removal of President Johnson, and the 14th and 15th Amendments. He opposed the Freedman's Bureau and the Enforcement Acts of 1870. Many in West Virginia opposed Republican Party policies, and in 1870 the party lost control of state government. Willey left the Senate in 1871 and returned to his Morgantown law practice and the County Clerkship (1882-1890).\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWilley remained active in politics throughout his later life. He served in the 1872 State Constitutional Convention and supported Republican Party policies and candidates, and was chairman of the West Virginia delegation to the GOP National Convention in 1876. He also continued his active service in the Methodist Church where he was an advocate for lay participation in the national conference and served as delegate from West Virginia in 1880. Willey was much in demand as a public speaker throughout his life -- he was called, \"old man eloquent\" -- because of his commanding appearance, \"thrilling\" voice, evident sincerity, and knowledge. He spoke frequently on Temperance, Methodist beliefs, politics, the classics, and history. He collected a large library, wrote numerous articles and a biography of Philip Doddridge. He received several honorary degrees, including LLD from Allegheny College and West Virginia University. Willey's last public appearance was at the funeral of Governor Pierpont when he gave a \"stirring\" eulogy. He was 88 years of age.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWaitman T. Willey, \"Grand Old Man of West Virginia,\" died May 2, 1900, at his home, Chancery Hill, in Morgantown. His funeral was the largest ever held in Morgantown to that time. He was interred in Oak Grove Cemetery.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eNotes:\n1. In June, 1861, Willey was not present at the second convention in Wheeling at which the Reorganized Government of Virginia was established in preparation for statehood. His father and stepmother were fatally ill at the time and he was at home.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e2. Willey never wrote a history of the statehood deliberations, politics, or conventions. He felt he was too biased to do justice to the history. No history was ever written by the participants.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eBibliography:\n1. Ambler, C.H.; \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eWaitman Thomas Willey\u003c/emph\u003e, 1954, Standard Printing and Publishing C., Huntington, W. Va.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e2. Corson, L.D.; \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eLegislative Career of Waitman T. Willey\u003c/emph\u003e, 1942, master's thesis, West Virginia University.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e3. Moore, J.T.; \"Waitman T. Willey,\" in \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eDictionary of American Biography\u003c/emph\u003e, p. 426.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e4. \u003cemph render=\"italic\"\u003eObituary\u003c/emph\u003e, \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eMorgantown Weekly Post\u003c/emph\u003e, Thursday, May 10, 1900.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e5. Ware, A.F.; \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eA Study of the Rhetoric of Waitman T. Willey in the West Virginia Statehood Movement\u003c/emph\u003e, 1952, master's thesis, West Virginia University.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e6. White, L.C.; \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eWest Virginia and Her U.S. Senators in the Impeachment of President Andrew Johnson\u003c/emph\u003e, 1928, master's thesis, West Virginia University.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e7. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Liberty and Union,\" 1854, Wheeling, J.E. Wharton, publisher. A speech.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e8. Willey, Waitman T.; address delivered before the Constitutional Convention of West Virginia in the City of Wheeling, 12 February 1863.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e9. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Historical Address,\" Celebration of the Municipal Centennial of Morgantown, 1885.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e10. Willey, William P.; The Formation of the State of West Virginia, 1901, The News Publishing Co., Wheeling, W. Va.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003ePrepared by Carole B. Boyd, M.D., 2000.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"bioghist_heading_ssm":["Biographical / Historical"],"bioghist_tesim":["Waitman Thomas Willey, West Virginia pioneer, lawyer, Methodist churchman, and United States Senator, was born October 18, 1811, at Buffalo Creek, Virginia (near Fairmont in Marion County, West Virginia), the son of William Willey, Jr., former Revolutionary War soldier under General Anthony Wayne, and Sarah Barnes, a member of a prominent family of northwestern Virginia.","Willey's first twelve years were spent at Buffalo Creek where his father's farm was a frontier homestead isolated from the few towns in the area. In 1823, the family (which now included stepmother, Mary McCormack Willey) moved to a farm on the Monongahela River in Monongalia County near present-day Rivesville. Here, Willey received a rudimentary formal education with readings from the classics and the Bible.","In 1827, Willey walked the forty miles from his home to Uniontown, Pennsylvania to attend Madison College (later Allegheny College) where he excelled in classical studies and mathematics. After three and one half years he received a B.A. degree, and then read law in the office of Philip Doddridge and John Campbell in Wellsburg, Brooke County, Virginia. He was admitted to the bar in 1833; in addition, he received an M.A. degree from Augusta College in Kentucky in 1834.","Willey settled in Morgantown, Monongalia County, Virginia, in 1832, with his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Patrick Ray, a prominent citizen of Morgantown who was Clerk of the Court and a founder of the Morgantown Female Academy (to which he gave his home). The Willey family subsequently included seven children: Mary Ellen, wife of Dr. M.L. Casselberry of Morgantown; Sarah Barnes, wife of J. Marshall Hagans, distinguished judge; William Patrick, professor of law at West Virginia University; Julia, wife of Major William McGrew, Union Army officer, West Virginia state senator, and Morgantown banker; Thomas Ray, United States government clerk in the Interior Department; Louisa, unmarried, who remained at home; and John Byrne, deputy clerk of Monongalia County.","Waitman T. Willey maintained a successful and lucrative law practice in Morgantown for 67 years. He served as Monongalia County Clerk and clerk of the Circuit Superior Court from 1841 to 1852, and was Morgantown's first Superintendent of Schools. Willey had an early interest in politics and was an active member of the conservative Whig Party: he served as an elector for the Harrison-Tyler election of 1840, was an unsuccessful Whig candidate for Congress in 1852, an unsuccessful Opposition (Whig Party) candidate for Lt. Governor of Virginia in 1859, and a delegate to the Constitutional Union Party convention which nominated Bell and Everett for President and Vice President in 1860. In 1850, Willey had been a delegate to the Virginia Constitutional Convention where he championed western Virginia interests, white manhood suffrage, and governmental reforms. Again, in 1861, he was a delegate to the Virginia Convention that voted for secession (Willey voted against it). In the subsequent, Pro-Union, reorganized legislature (the \"Restored Government of Virginia at Wheeling\"), Willey was elected to Congress to complete the term of James M. Mason for two years. While in the Senate, Willey actively introduced legislation to admit West Virginia into the Union. The Reorganized Government proposed a new state Constitution that Willey supported in Congress in 1862. Following revision of the proposal to include emancipation of slaves and a favorable referendum by the West Virginia voters, statehood was achieved in 1863.","Willey returned to the Senate in 1863 and was elected to the full six-year term in 1865. During his tenure, he initially opposed Republican lawmakers over issues involving the war, confiscation of rebel property, and slavery. But because of his \"ardent support\" of the Union, Willey's political views evolved through the years to support Republican aims, including national emancipation of slaves and disenfranchisement of disloyal citizens. He considered the latter appropriate in order to keep \"southern sympathizers\" from gaining control of West Virginia and perhaps reuniting the state with Virginia. Although Willey was aligned with conservative Republicans in the Senate, he did vote for the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Reconstruction Acts, the removal of President Johnson, and the 14th and 15th Amendments. He opposed the Freedman's Bureau and the Enforcement Acts of 1870. Many in West Virginia opposed Republican Party policies, and in 1870 the party lost control of state government. Willey left the Senate in 1871 and returned to his Morgantown law practice and the County Clerkship (1882-1890).","Willey remained active in politics throughout his later life. He served in the 1872 State Constitutional Convention and supported Republican Party policies and candidates, and was chairman of the West Virginia delegation to the GOP National Convention in 1876. He also continued his active service in the Methodist Church where he was an advocate for lay participation in the national conference and served as delegate from West Virginia in 1880. Willey was much in demand as a public speaker throughout his life -- he was called, \"old man eloquent\" -- because of his commanding appearance, \"thrilling\" voice, evident sincerity, and knowledge. He spoke frequently on Temperance, Methodist beliefs, politics, the classics, and history. He collected a large library, wrote numerous articles and a biography of Philip Doddridge. He received several honorary degrees, including LLD from Allegheny College and West Virginia University. Willey's last public appearance was at the funeral of Governor Pierpont when he gave a \"stirring\" eulogy. He was 88 years of age.","Waitman T. Willey, \"Grand Old Man of West Virginia,\" died May 2, 1900, at his home, Chancery Hill, in Morgantown. His funeral was the largest ever held in Morgantown to that time. He was interred in Oak Grove Cemetery.","Notes:\n1. In June, 1861, Willey was not present at the second convention in Wheeling at which the Reorganized Government of Virginia was established in preparation for statehood. His father and stepmother were fatally ill at the time and he was at home.","2. Willey never wrote a history of the statehood deliberations, politics, or conventions. He felt he was too biased to do justice to the history. No history was ever written by the participants.","Bibliography:\n1. Ambler, C.H.; Waitman Thomas Willey, 1954, Standard Printing and Publishing C., Huntington, W. Va.","2. Corson, L.D.; Legislative Career of Waitman T. Willey, 1942, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","3. Moore, J.T.; \"Waitman T. Willey,\" in Dictionary of American Biography, p. 426.","4. Obituary, Morgantown Weekly Post, Thursday, May 10, 1900.","5. Ware, A.F.; A Study of the Rhetoric of Waitman T. Willey in the West Virginia Statehood Movement, 1952, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","6. White, L.C.; West Virginia and Her U.S. Senators in the Impeachment of President Andrew Johnson, 1928, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","7. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Liberty and Union,\" 1854, Wheeling, J.E. Wharton, publisher. A speech.","8. Willey, Waitman T.; address delivered before the Constitutional Convention of West Virginia in the City of Wheeling, 12 February 1863.","9. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Historical Address,\" Celebration of the Municipal Centennial of Morgantown, 1885.","10. Willey, William P.; The Formation of the State of West Virginia, 1901, The News Publishing Co., Wheeling, W. Va.","Prepared by Carole B. Boyd, M.D., 2000."],"prefercite_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003e[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Waitman T. Willey Papers, A\u0026amp;M 0003, West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"prefercite_tesim":["[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Waitman T. Willey Papers, A\u0026M 0003, West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia."],"relatedmaterial_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003e1361\u003c/p\u003e  "],"relatedmaterial_heading_ssm":["Related A\u0026M Collections"],"relatedmaterial_tesim":["1361"],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003ePapers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eSeries include:\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eSeries 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied, 1840–1898, boxes 1-4\nSeries 1b. Incoming Correspondence -- Non-Transcribed/Not Copied, 1833–1900, boxes 4-16\nSeries 2. Financial Records, 1837–1869, boxes 17-18\nSeries 3. Legal Papers, 1820–1856, boxes 19-20\nSeries 4. W.T. Willey's Diary, 1830–1908, boxes 21-22\nSeries 5. Miscellaneous, 1827-1917, undated, box 22 and unboxed\u003c/p\u003e  "],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Contents"],"scopecontent_tesim":["Papers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material.","Series include:","Series 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied, 1840–1898, boxes 1-4\nSeries 1b. Incoming Correspondence -- Non-Transcribed/Not Copied, 1833–1900, boxes 4-16\nSeries 2. Financial Records, 1837–1869, boxes 17-18\nSeries 3. Legal Papers, 1820–1856, boxes 19-20\nSeries 4. W.T. Willey's Diary, 1830–1908, boxes 21-22\nSeries 5. Miscellaneous, 1827-1917, undated, box 22 and unboxed"],"userestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003ePermission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the \u003ca href=\"https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu/visit/permissions-and-copyright\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ePermissions and Copyright page\u003c/a\u003e on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"userestrict_heading_ssm":["Conditions Governing Use"],"userestrict_tesim":["Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website."],"abstract_html_tesm":["\u003cabstract id=\"aspace_18cd3685d4dadbc9e748f60d929a78ab\"\u003ePapers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material. For more information about Willey, see the Historical Note.\u003c/abstract\u003e\n    "],"abstract_tesim":["Papers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material. For more information about Willey, see the Historical Note."],"physloc_html_tesm":["\u003cphysloc id=\"aspace_5cf97afe325843f43df11ef15816113b\"\u003eWest Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536  / URL: \u003ca href=\"https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu/\"\u003eWest Virginia \u0026amp; Regional History Center\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/physloc\u003e\n    "],"physloc_tesim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536  / URL: West Virginia \u0026 Regional History Center"],"corpname_ssim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center","United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)"],"names_coll_ssim":["United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Willey, William P. (William Patrick)"],"persname_ssim":["Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, William P. (William Patrick)"],"names_ssim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center","United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)","Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, William P. (William Patrick)"],"language_ssim":["English\n."],"descrules_ssm":["Describing Archives: A Content Standard"],"total_component_count_is":121,"online_item_count_is":0,"component_level_isim":[0],"sort_isi":0,"timestamp":"2026-09-01T16:09:24.514Z"}]}},"label":"Breadcrumbs"}}},"links":{"self":"https://arvasarchive.org/catalog/wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345_c01_c21"}},{"id":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345_c01_c03","type":"File","attributes":{"title":"Item Nos. 41-60, 1838/1840","abstract_or_scope":{"id":"https://arvasarchive.org/catalog/wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345_c01_c03#abstract_or_scope","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":"\u003cp\u003eTopics include:\u003c/p\u003e","label":"Abstract Or Scope"}},"breadcrumbs":{"id":"https://arvasarchive.org/catalog/wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345_c01_c03#breadcrumbs","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":{"ref_ssi":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345_c01_c03","ref_ssm":["wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345_c01_c03"],"id":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345_c01_c03","ead_ssi":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","_root_":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","_nest_parent_":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345_c01","parent_ssi":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345_c01","parent_ssim":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917","Series 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied [boxes 1-4], 1840/1898"],"parent_ids_ssim":["wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345_c01"],"title_filing_ssi":"Item Nos. 41-60","title_ssm":["Item Nos. 41-60"],"title_tesim":["Item Nos. 41-60"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Item Nos. 41-60, 1838/1840"],"text":["Item Nos. 41-60, 1838/1840","Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917","Series 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied [boxes 1-4], 1840/1898","Box 1","Folder 3","Topics include:","Politics: Items 50, 52-56, 58-60 (national election of 1840; Whig activities in elections; WTW to be elector for the Whig party in the state; rumors regarding Harrison and debtors; rallies for voters [items 56, 58])","Family and Friends: Items 46-49, 51, 57 (temperance movement; church activities; traveler in New Orleans)","Law/Business: Item 45 (WTW elected Director of Discount and Deposit of the Morgantown branch of Merchants and Mechanics Bank)"],"parent_unittitles_ssm":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917","Series 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied [boxes 1-4], 1840/1898"],"parent_unittitles_tesim":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917","Series 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied [boxes 1-4], 1840/1898"],"normalized_date_ssm":["1838/1840"],"unitdate_inclusive_ssm":["1838–1840"],"level_ssm":["File"],"level_ssim":["File"],"component_level_isim":[2],"sort_isi":4,"repository_ssim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center"],"collection_ssim":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917"],"containers_ssim":["Box 1","Folder 3"],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"child_component_count_isi":0,"parent_access_restrict_tesm":["No special access restriction applies.","Researchers may access digitized materials by requesting to view the materials in person by appointment or remotely by contacting the West Virginia \u0026 Regional History Center reference department."],"parent_access_terms_tesm":["Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website."],"date_range_isim":[1838,1839,1840],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eTopics include:\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e Politics: Items 50, 52-56, 58-60 (national election of 1840; Whig activities in elections; WTW to be elector for the Whig party in the state; rumors regarding Harrison and debtors; rallies for voters [items 56, 58]) \u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eFamily and Friends: Items 46-49, 51, 57 (temperance movement; church activities; traveler in New Orleans) \u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLaw/Business: Item 45 (WTW elected Director of Discount and Deposit of the Morgantown branch of Merchants and Mechanics Bank)\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Contents"],"scopecontent_tesim":["Topics include:","Politics: Items 50, 52-56, 58-60 (national election of 1840; Whig activities in elections; WTW to be elector for the Whig party in the state; rumors regarding Harrison and debtors; rallies for voters [items 56, 58])","Family and Friends: Items 46-49, 51, 57 (temperance movement; church activities; traveler in New Orleans)","Law/Business: Item 45 (WTW elected Director of Discount and Deposit of the Morgantown branch of Merchants and Mechanics Bank)"],"_nest_path_":"/components#0/components#2","timestamp":"2026-09-01T16:09:24.514Z","collection":{"numFound":1,"start":0,"numFoundExact":true,"docs":[{"id":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","ead_ssi":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","_root_":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","_nest_parent_":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","ead_source_url_ssi":"data/oai/WVU/repositories_2_resources_2345.xml","aspace_url_ssi":"https://archives.lib.wvu.edu/ark:/99999/196411","title_ssm":["Waitman T. Willey Papers"],"title_tesim":["Waitman T. Willey Papers"],"unitdate_ssm":["1820-1917"],"unitdate_inclusive_ssm":["1820-1917"],"normalized_date_ssm":["1820/1917"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917"],"text":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917","A\u0026M 0003","Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","/repositories/2/resources/2345","Monongalia County (W. Va.)","United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government","United States -- Politics and government","Politics and government.","Secession","Temperance","Politicians -- United States","Statehood politics -- West Virginia","Diaries","No special access restriction applies.","Researchers may access digitized materials by requesting to view the materials in person by appointment or remotely by contacting the West Virginia \u0026 Regional History Center reference department.","Waitman Thomas Willey, West Virginia pioneer, lawyer, Methodist churchman, and United States Senator, was born October 18, 1811, at Buffalo Creek, Virginia (near Fairmont in Marion County, West Virginia), the son of William Willey, Jr., former Revolutionary War soldier under General Anthony Wayne, and Sarah Barnes, a member of a prominent family of northwestern Virginia.","Willey's first twelve years were spent at Buffalo Creek where his father's farm was a frontier homestead isolated from the few towns in the area. In 1823, the family (which now included stepmother, Mary McCormack Willey) moved to a farm on the Monongahela River in Monongalia County near present-day Rivesville. Here, Willey received a rudimentary formal education with readings from the classics and the Bible.","In 1827, Willey walked the forty miles from his home to Uniontown, Pennsylvania to attend Madison College (later Allegheny College) where he excelled in classical studies and mathematics. After three and one half years he received a B.A. degree, and then read law in the office of Philip Doddridge and John Campbell in Wellsburg, Brooke County, Virginia. He was admitted to the bar in 1833; in addition, he received an M.A. degree from Augusta College in Kentucky in 1834.","Willey settled in Morgantown, Monongalia County, Virginia, in 1832, with his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Patrick Ray, a prominent citizen of Morgantown who was Clerk of the Court and a founder of the Morgantown Female Academy (to which he gave his home). The Willey family subsequently included seven children: Mary Ellen, wife of Dr. M.L. Casselberry of Morgantown; Sarah Barnes, wife of J. Marshall Hagans, distinguished judge; William Patrick, professor of law at West Virginia University; Julia, wife of Major William McGrew, Union Army officer, West Virginia state senator, and Morgantown banker; Thomas Ray, United States government clerk in the Interior Department; Louisa, unmarried, who remained at home; and John Byrne, deputy clerk of Monongalia County.","Waitman T. Willey maintained a successful and lucrative law practice in Morgantown for 67 years. He served as Monongalia County Clerk and clerk of the Circuit Superior Court from 1841 to 1852, and was Morgantown's first Superintendent of Schools. Willey had an early interest in politics and was an active member of the conservative Whig Party: he served as an elector for the Harrison-Tyler election of 1840, was an unsuccessful Whig candidate for Congress in 1852, an unsuccessful Opposition (Whig Party) candidate for Lt. Governor of Virginia in 1859, and a delegate to the Constitutional Union Party convention which nominated Bell and Everett for President and Vice President in 1860. In 1850, Willey had been a delegate to the Virginia Constitutional Convention where he championed western Virginia interests, white manhood suffrage, and governmental reforms. Again, in 1861, he was a delegate to the Virginia Convention that voted for secession (Willey voted against it). In the subsequent, Pro-Union, reorganized legislature (the \"Restored Government of Virginia at Wheeling\"), Willey was elected to Congress to complete the term of James M. Mason for two years. While in the Senate, Willey actively introduced legislation to admit West Virginia into the Union. The Reorganized Government proposed a new state Constitution that Willey supported in Congress in 1862. Following revision of the proposal to include emancipation of slaves and a favorable referendum by the West Virginia voters, statehood was achieved in 1863.","Willey returned to the Senate in 1863 and was elected to the full six-year term in 1865. During his tenure, he initially opposed Republican lawmakers over issues involving the war, confiscation of rebel property, and slavery. But because of his \"ardent support\" of the Union, Willey's political views evolved through the years to support Republican aims, including national emancipation of slaves and disenfranchisement of disloyal citizens. He considered the latter appropriate in order to keep \"southern sympathizers\" from gaining control of West Virginia and perhaps reuniting the state with Virginia. Although Willey was aligned with conservative Republicans in the Senate, he did vote for the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Reconstruction Acts, the removal of President Johnson, and the 14th and 15th Amendments. He opposed the Freedman's Bureau and the Enforcement Acts of 1870. Many in West Virginia opposed Republican Party policies, and in 1870 the party lost control of state government. Willey left the Senate in 1871 and returned to his Morgantown law practice and the County Clerkship (1882-1890).","Willey remained active in politics throughout his later life. He served in the 1872 State Constitutional Convention and supported Republican Party policies and candidates, and was chairman of the West Virginia delegation to the GOP National Convention in 1876. He also continued his active service in the Methodist Church where he was an advocate for lay participation in the national conference and served as delegate from West Virginia in 1880. Willey was much in demand as a public speaker throughout his life -- he was called, \"old man eloquent\" -- because of his commanding appearance, \"thrilling\" voice, evident sincerity, and knowledge. He spoke frequently on Temperance, Methodist beliefs, politics, the classics, and history. He collected a large library, wrote numerous articles and a biography of Philip Doddridge. He received several honorary degrees, including LLD from Allegheny College and West Virginia University. Willey's last public appearance was at the funeral of Governor Pierpont when he gave a \"stirring\" eulogy. He was 88 years of age.","Waitman T. Willey, \"Grand Old Man of West Virginia,\" died May 2, 1900, at his home, Chancery Hill, in Morgantown. His funeral was the largest ever held in Morgantown to that time. He was interred in Oak Grove Cemetery.","Notes:\n1. In June, 1861, Willey was not present at the second convention in Wheeling at which the Reorganized Government of Virginia was established in preparation for statehood. His father and stepmother were fatally ill at the time and he was at home.","2. Willey never wrote a history of the statehood deliberations, politics, or conventions. He felt he was too biased to do justice to the history. No history was ever written by the participants.","Bibliography:\n1. Ambler, C.H.; Waitman Thomas Willey, 1954, Standard Printing and Publishing C., Huntington, W. Va.","2. Corson, L.D.; Legislative Career of Waitman T. Willey, 1942, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","3. Moore, J.T.; \"Waitman T. Willey,\" in Dictionary of American Biography, p. 426.","4. Obituary, Morgantown Weekly Post, Thursday, May 10, 1900.","5. Ware, A.F.; A Study of the Rhetoric of Waitman T. Willey in the West Virginia Statehood Movement, 1952, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","6. White, L.C.; West Virginia and Her U.S. Senators in the Impeachment of President Andrew Johnson, 1928, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","7. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Liberty and Union,\" 1854, Wheeling, J.E. Wharton, publisher. A speech.","8. Willey, Waitman T.; address delivered before the Constitutional Convention of West Virginia in the City of Wheeling, 12 February 1863.","9. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Historical Address,\" Celebration of the Municipal Centennial of Morgantown, 1885.","10. Willey, William P.; The Formation of the State of West Virginia, 1901, The News Publishing Co., Wheeling, W. Va.","Prepared by Carole B. Boyd, M.D., 2000.","1361","Papers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material.","Series include:","Series 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied, 1840–1898, boxes 1-4\nSeries 1b. Incoming Correspondence -- Non-Transcribed/Not Copied, 1833–1900, boxes 4-16\nSeries 2. Financial Records, 1837–1869, boxes 17-18\nSeries 3. Legal Papers, 1820–1856, boxes 19-20\nSeries 4. W.T. Willey's Diary, 1830–1908, boxes 21-22\nSeries 5. Miscellaneous, 1827-1917, undated, box 22 and unboxed","Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website.","Papers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material. For more information about Willey, see the Historical Note.","West Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536  / URL: West Virginia \u0026 Regional History Center","West Virginia and Regional History Center","United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)","Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, William P. (William Patrick)","English\n."],"collection_title_tesim":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917"],"collection_ssim":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917"],"level_ssm":["collection"],"level_ssim":["Collection"],"unitid_ssm":["A\u0026M 0003","Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","/repositories/2/resources/2345"],"unitid_tesim":["A\u0026M 0003","Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","/repositories/2/resources/2345"],"repository_ssm":["West Virginia and Regional History Center"],"repository_ssim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center"],"geogname_ssm":["Monongalia County (W. Va.)","United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government","United States -- Politics and government"],"geogname_ssim":["Monongalia County (W. Va.)","United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government","United States -- Politics and government"],"places_ssim":["Monongalia County (W. Va.)","United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government","United States -- Politics and government"],"creator_ssm":["Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900"],"creator_ssim":["Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900"],"creator_persname_ssim":["Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, William P. (William Patrick)"],"creator_corpname_ssim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center","United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)"],"creators_ssim":["Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, William P. (William Patrick)","West Virginia and Regional History Center","United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)"],"access_terms_ssm":["Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website."],"access_subjects_ssim":["Politics and government.","Secession","Temperance","Politicians -- United States","Statehood politics -- West Virginia","Diaries"],"access_subjects_ssm":["Politics and government.","Secession","Temperance","Politicians -- United States","Statehood politics -- West Virginia","Diaries"],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"extent_ssm":["9.2 Linear Feet Summary: 9 ft. 2 1/4 in. (22 document cases, 5 in. each); (1 oversize folder, 1/4 in.)"],"extent_tesim":["9.2 Linear Feet Summary: 9 ft. 2 1/4 in. (22 document cases, 5 in. each); (1 oversize folder, 1/4 in.)"],"genreform_ssim":["Diaries"],"date_range_isim":[1820,1821,1822,1823,1824,1825,1826,1827,1828,1829,1830,1831,1832,1833,1834,1835,1836,1837,1838,1839,1840,1841,1842,1843,1844,1845,1846,1847,1848,1849,1850,1851,1852,1853,1854,1855,1856,1857,1858,1859,1860,1861,1862,1863,1864,1865,1866,1867,1868,1869,1870,1871,1872,1873,1874,1875,1876,1877,1878,1879,1880,1881,1882,1883,1884,1885,1886,1887,1888,1889,1890,1891,1892,1893,1894,1895,1896,1897,1898,1899,1900,1901,1902,1903,1904,1905,1906,1907,1908,1909,1910,1911,1912,1913,1914,1915,1916,1917],"accessrestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eNo special access restriction applies.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eResearchers may access digitized materials by requesting to view the materials in person by appointment or remotely by contacting the \u003ca href=\"https://westvirginia.libanswers.com/wvrhc\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eWest Virginia \u0026amp; Regional History Center reference department\u003c/a\u003e. \u003c/p\u003e  "],"accessrestrict_heading_ssm":["Conditions Governing Access"],"accessrestrict_tesim":["No special access restriction applies.","Researchers may access digitized materials by requesting to view the materials in person by appointment or remotely by contacting the West Virginia \u0026 Regional History Center reference department."],"bioghist_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eWaitman Thomas Willey, West Virginia pioneer, lawyer, Methodist churchman, and United States Senator, was born October 18, 1811, at Buffalo Creek, Virginia (near Fairmont in Marion County, West Virginia), the son of William Willey, Jr., former Revolutionary War soldier under General Anthony Wayne, and Sarah Barnes, a member of a prominent family of northwestern Virginia.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWilley's first twelve years were spent at Buffalo Creek where his father's farm was a frontier homestead isolated from the few towns in the area. In 1823, the family (which now included stepmother, Mary McCormack Willey) moved to a farm on the Monongahela River in Monongalia County near present-day Rivesville. Here, Willey received a rudimentary formal education with readings from the classics and the Bible.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eIn 1827, Willey walked the forty miles from his home to Uniontown, Pennsylvania to attend Madison College (later Allegheny College) where he excelled in classical studies and mathematics. After three and one half years he received a B.A. degree, and then read law in the office of Philip Doddridge and John Campbell in Wellsburg, Brooke County, Virginia. He was admitted to the bar in 1833; in addition, he received an M.A. degree from Augusta College in Kentucky in 1834.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWilley settled in Morgantown, Monongalia County, Virginia, in 1832, with his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Patrick Ray, a prominent citizen of Morgantown who was Clerk of the Court and a founder of the Morgantown Female Academy (to which he gave his home). The Willey family subsequently included seven children: Mary Ellen, wife of Dr. M.L. Casselberry of Morgantown; Sarah Barnes, wife of J. Marshall Hagans, distinguished judge; William Patrick, professor of law at West Virginia University; Julia, wife of Major William McGrew, Union Army officer, West Virginia state senator, and Morgantown banker; Thomas Ray, United States government clerk in the Interior Department; Louisa, unmarried, who remained at home; and John Byrne, deputy clerk of Monongalia County.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWaitman T. Willey maintained a successful and lucrative law practice in Morgantown for 67 years. He served as Monongalia County Clerk and clerk of the Circuit Superior Court from 1841 to 1852, and was Morgantown's first Superintendent of Schools. Willey had an early interest in politics and was an active member of the conservative Whig Party: he served as an elector for the Harrison-Tyler election of 1840, was an unsuccessful Whig candidate for Congress in 1852, an unsuccessful Opposition (Whig Party) candidate for Lt. Governor of Virginia in 1859, and a delegate to the Constitutional Union Party convention which nominated Bell and Everett for President and Vice President in 1860. In 1850, Willey had been a delegate to the Virginia Constitutional Convention where he championed western Virginia interests, white manhood suffrage, and governmental reforms. Again, in 1861, he was a delegate to the Virginia Convention that voted for secession (Willey voted against it). In the subsequent, Pro-Union, reorganized legislature (the \"Restored Government of Virginia at Wheeling\"), Willey was elected to Congress to complete the term of James M. Mason for two years. While in the Senate, Willey actively introduced legislation to admit West Virginia into the Union. The Reorganized Government proposed a new state Constitution that Willey supported in Congress in 1862. Following revision of the proposal to include emancipation of slaves and a favorable referendum by the West Virginia voters, statehood was achieved in 1863.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWilley returned to the Senate in 1863 and was elected to the full six-year term in 1865. During his tenure, he initially opposed Republican lawmakers over issues involving the war, confiscation of rebel property, and slavery. But because of his \"ardent support\" of the Union, Willey's political views evolved through the years to support Republican aims, including national emancipation of slaves and disenfranchisement of disloyal citizens. He considered the latter appropriate in order to keep \"southern sympathizers\" from gaining control of West Virginia and perhaps reuniting the state with Virginia. Although Willey was aligned with conservative Republicans in the Senate, he did vote for the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Reconstruction Acts, the removal of President Johnson, and the 14th and 15th Amendments. He opposed the Freedman's Bureau and the Enforcement Acts of 1870. Many in West Virginia opposed Republican Party policies, and in 1870 the party lost control of state government. Willey left the Senate in 1871 and returned to his Morgantown law practice and the County Clerkship (1882-1890).\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWilley remained active in politics throughout his later life. He served in the 1872 State Constitutional Convention and supported Republican Party policies and candidates, and was chairman of the West Virginia delegation to the GOP National Convention in 1876. He also continued his active service in the Methodist Church where he was an advocate for lay participation in the national conference and served as delegate from West Virginia in 1880. Willey was much in demand as a public speaker throughout his life -- he was called, \"old man eloquent\" -- because of his commanding appearance, \"thrilling\" voice, evident sincerity, and knowledge. He spoke frequently on Temperance, Methodist beliefs, politics, the classics, and history. He collected a large library, wrote numerous articles and a biography of Philip Doddridge. He received several honorary degrees, including LLD from Allegheny College and West Virginia University. Willey's last public appearance was at the funeral of Governor Pierpont when he gave a \"stirring\" eulogy. He was 88 years of age.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWaitman T. Willey, \"Grand Old Man of West Virginia,\" died May 2, 1900, at his home, Chancery Hill, in Morgantown. His funeral was the largest ever held in Morgantown to that time. He was interred in Oak Grove Cemetery.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eNotes:\n1. In June, 1861, Willey was not present at the second convention in Wheeling at which the Reorganized Government of Virginia was established in preparation for statehood. His father and stepmother were fatally ill at the time and he was at home.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e2. Willey never wrote a history of the statehood deliberations, politics, or conventions. He felt he was too biased to do justice to the history. No history was ever written by the participants.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eBibliography:\n1. Ambler, C.H.; \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eWaitman Thomas Willey\u003c/emph\u003e, 1954, Standard Printing and Publishing C., Huntington, W. Va.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e2. Corson, L.D.; \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eLegislative Career of Waitman T. Willey\u003c/emph\u003e, 1942, master's thesis, West Virginia University.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e3. Moore, J.T.; \"Waitman T. Willey,\" in \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eDictionary of American Biography\u003c/emph\u003e, p. 426.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e4. \u003cemph render=\"italic\"\u003eObituary\u003c/emph\u003e, \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eMorgantown Weekly Post\u003c/emph\u003e, Thursday, May 10, 1900.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e5. Ware, A.F.; \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eA Study of the Rhetoric of Waitman T. Willey in the West Virginia Statehood Movement\u003c/emph\u003e, 1952, master's thesis, West Virginia University.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e6. White, L.C.; \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eWest Virginia and Her U.S. Senators in the Impeachment of President Andrew Johnson\u003c/emph\u003e, 1928, master's thesis, West Virginia University.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e7. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Liberty and Union,\" 1854, Wheeling, J.E. Wharton, publisher. A speech.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e8. Willey, Waitman T.; address delivered before the Constitutional Convention of West Virginia in the City of Wheeling, 12 February 1863.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e9. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Historical Address,\" Celebration of the Municipal Centennial of Morgantown, 1885.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e10. Willey, William P.; The Formation of the State of West Virginia, 1901, The News Publishing Co., Wheeling, W. Va.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003ePrepared by Carole B. Boyd, M.D., 2000.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"bioghist_heading_ssm":["Biographical / Historical"],"bioghist_tesim":["Waitman Thomas Willey, West Virginia pioneer, lawyer, Methodist churchman, and United States Senator, was born October 18, 1811, at Buffalo Creek, Virginia (near Fairmont in Marion County, West Virginia), the son of William Willey, Jr., former Revolutionary War soldier under General Anthony Wayne, and Sarah Barnes, a member of a prominent family of northwestern Virginia.","Willey's first twelve years were spent at Buffalo Creek where his father's farm was a frontier homestead isolated from the few towns in the area. In 1823, the family (which now included stepmother, Mary McCormack Willey) moved to a farm on the Monongahela River in Monongalia County near present-day Rivesville. Here, Willey received a rudimentary formal education with readings from the classics and the Bible.","In 1827, Willey walked the forty miles from his home to Uniontown, Pennsylvania to attend Madison College (later Allegheny College) where he excelled in classical studies and mathematics. After three and one half years he received a B.A. degree, and then read law in the office of Philip Doddridge and John Campbell in Wellsburg, Brooke County, Virginia. He was admitted to the bar in 1833; in addition, he received an M.A. degree from Augusta College in Kentucky in 1834.","Willey settled in Morgantown, Monongalia County, Virginia, in 1832, with his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Patrick Ray, a prominent citizen of Morgantown who was Clerk of the Court and a founder of the Morgantown Female Academy (to which he gave his home). The Willey family subsequently included seven children: Mary Ellen, wife of Dr. M.L. Casselberry of Morgantown; Sarah Barnes, wife of J. Marshall Hagans, distinguished judge; William Patrick, professor of law at West Virginia University; Julia, wife of Major William McGrew, Union Army officer, West Virginia state senator, and Morgantown banker; Thomas Ray, United States government clerk in the Interior Department; Louisa, unmarried, who remained at home; and John Byrne, deputy clerk of Monongalia County.","Waitman T. Willey maintained a successful and lucrative law practice in Morgantown for 67 years. He served as Monongalia County Clerk and clerk of the Circuit Superior Court from 1841 to 1852, and was Morgantown's first Superintendent of Schools. Willey had an early interest in politics and was an active member of the conservative Whig Party: he served as an elector for the Harrison-Tyler election of 1840, was an unsuccessful Whig candidate for Congress in 1852, an unsuccessful Opposition (Whig Party) candidate for Lt. Governor of Virginia in 1859, and a delegate to the Constitutional Union Party convention which nominated Bell and Everett for President and Vice President in 1860. In 1850, Willey had been a delegate to the Virginia Constitutional Convention where he championed western Virginia interests, white manhood suffrage, and governmental reforms. Again, in 1861, he was a delegate to the Virginia Convention that voted for secession (Willey voted against it). In the subsequent, Pro-Union, reorganized legislature (the \"Restored Government of Virginia at Wheeling\"), Willey was elected to Congress to complete the term of James M. Mason for two years. While in the Senate, Willey actively introduced legislation to admit West Virginia into the Union. The Reorganized Government proposed a new state Constitution that Willey supported in Congress in 1862. Following revision of the proposal to include emancipation of slaves and a favorable referendum by the West Virginia voters, statehood was achieved in 1863.","Willey returned to the Senate in 1863 and was elected to the full six-year term in 1865. During his tenure, he initially opposed Republican lawmakers over issues involving the war, confiscation of rebel property, and slavery. But because of his \"ardent support\" of the Union, Willey's political views evolved through the years to support Republican aims, including national emancipation of slaves and disenfranchisement of disloyal citizens. He considered the latter appropriate in order to keep \"southern sympathizers\" from gaining control of West Virginia and perhaps reuniting the state with Virginia. Although Willey was aligned with conservative Republicans in the Senate, he did vote for the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Reconstruction Acts, the removal of President Johnson, and the 14th and 15th Amendments. He opposed the Freedman's Bureau and the Enforcement Acts of 1870. Many in West Virginia opposed Republican Party policies, and in 1870 the party lost control of state government. Willey left the Senate in 1871 and returned to his Morgantown law practice and the County Clerkship (1882-1890).","Willey remained active in politics throughout his later life. He served in the 1872 State Constitutional Convention and supported Republican Party policies and candidates, and was chairman of the West Virginia delegation to the GOP National Convention in 1876. He also continued his active service in the Methodist Church where he was an advocate for lay participation in the national conference and served as delegate from West Virginia in 1880. Willey was much in demand as a public speaker throughout his life -- he was called, \"old man eloquent\" -- because of his commanding appearance, \"thrilling\" voice, evident sincerity, and knowledge. He spoke frequently on Temperance, Methodist beliefs, politics, the classics, and history. He collected a large library, wrote numerous articles and a biography of Philip Doddridge. He received several honorary degrees, including LLD from Allegheny College and West Virginia University. Willey's last public appearance was at the funeral of Governor Pierpont when he gave a \"stirring\" eulogy. He was 88 years of age.","Waitman T. Willey, \"Grand Old Man of West Virginia,\" died May 2, 1900, at his home, Chancery Hill, in Morgantown. His funeral was the largest ever held in Morgantown to that time. He was interred in Oak Grove Cemetery.","Notes:\n1. In June, 1861, Willey was not present at the second convention in Wheeling at which the Reorganized Government of Virginia was established in preparation for statehood. His father and stepmother were fatally ill at the time and he was at home.","2. Willey never wrote a history of the statehood deliberations, politics, or conventions. He felt he was too biased to do justice to the history. No history was ever written by the participants.","Bibliography:\n1. Ambler, C.H.; Waitman Thomas Willey, 1954, Standard Printing and Publishing C., Huntington, W. Va.","2. Corson, L.D.; Legislative Career of Waitman T. Willey, 1942, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","3. Moore, J.T.; \"Waitman T. Willey,\" in Dictionary of American Biography, p. 426.","4. Obituary, Morgantown Weekly Post, Thursday, May 10, 1900.","5. Ware, A.F.; A Study of the Rhetoric of Waitman T. Willey in the West Virginia Statehood Movement, 1952, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","6. White, L.C.; West Virginia and Her U.S. Senators in the Impeachment of President Andrew Johnson, 1928, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","7. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Liberty and Union,\" 1854, Wheeling, J.E. Wharton, publisher. A speech.","8. Willey, Waitman T.; address delivered before the Constitutional Convention of West Virginia in the City of Wheeling, 12 February 1863.","9. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Historical Address,\" Celebration of the Municipal Centennial of Morgantown, 1885.","10. Willey, William P.; The Formation of the State of West Virginia, 1901, The News Publishing Co., Wheeling, W. Va.","Prepared by Carole B. Boyd, M.D., 2000."],"prefercite_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003e[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Waitman T. Willey Papers, A\u0026amp;M 0003, West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"prefercite_tesim":["[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Waitman T. Willey Papers, A\u0026M 0003, West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia."],"relatedmaterial_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003e1361\u003c/p\u003e  "],"relatedmaterial_heading_ssm":["Related A\u0026M Collections"],"relatedmaterial_tesim":["1361"],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003ePapers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eSeries include:\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eSeries 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied, 1840–1898, boxes 1-4\nSeries 1b. Incoming Correspondence -- Non-Transcribed/Not Copied, 1833–1900, boxes 4-16\nSeries 2. Financial Records, 1837–1869, boxes 17-18\nSeries 3. Legal Papers, 1820–1856, boxes 19-20\nSeries 4. W.T. Willey's Diary, 1830–1908, boxes 21-22\nSeries 5. Miscellaneous, 1827-1917, undated, box 22 and unboxed\u003c/p\u003e  "],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Contents"],"scopecontent_tesim":["Papers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material.","Series include:","Series 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied, 1840–1898, boxes 1-4\nSeries 1b. Incoming Correspondence -- Non-Transcribed/Not Copied, 1833–1900, boxes 4-16\nSeries 2. Financial Records, 1837–1869, boxes 17-18\nSeries 3. Legal Papers, 1820–1856, boxes 19-20\nSeries 4. W.T. Willey's Diary, 1830–1908, boxes 21-22\nSeries 5. Miscellaneous, 1827-1917, undated, box 22 and unboxed"],"userestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003ePermission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the \u003ca href=\"https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu/visit/permissions-and-copyright\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ePermissions and Copyright page\u003c/a\u003e on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"userestrict_heading_ssm":["Conditions Governing Use"],"userestrict_tesim":["Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website."],"abstract_html_tesm":["\u003cabstract id=\"aspace_18cd3685d4dadbc9e748f60d929a78ab\"\u003ePapers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material. For more information about Willey, see the Historical Note.\u003c/abstract\u003e\n    "],"abstract_tesim":["Papers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material. For more information about Willey, see the Historical Note."],"physloc_html_tesm":["\u003cphysloc id=\"aspace_5cf97afe325843f43df11ef15816113b\"\u003eWest Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536  / URL: \u003ca href=\"https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu/\"\u003eWest Virginia \u0026amp; Regional History Center\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/physloc\u003e\n    "],"physloc_tesim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536  / URL: West Virginia \u0026 Regional History Center"],"corpname_ssim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center","United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)"],"names_coll_ssim":["United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Willey, William P. (William Patrick)"],"persname_ssim":["Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, William P. (William Patrick)"],"names_ssim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center","United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)","Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, William P. 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Willey Papers, 1820/1917","Series 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied [boxes 1-4], 1840/1898"],"parent_ids_ssim":["wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345_c01"],"title_filing_ssi":"Item Nos. 421-440","title_ssm":["Item Nos. 421-440"],"title_tesim":["Item Nos. 421-440"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Item Nos. 421-440, 1862"],"text":["Item Nos. 421-440, 1862","Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917","Series 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied [boxes 1-4], 1840/1898","Box 2","Folder 4","Topics include:","Politics: Items 421-422, 424-426, 428, 435-440 (new state and emancipation, speeches)","Government/War: Items 433-434 (reparations for stolen horses and harness)","Family and Friends: Items 423, 427, 429-432, 434, 439 (genealogy from a relative, speeches, war at home, Camp Chase prisoner, bills in Congress)"],"parent_unittitles_ssm":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917","Series 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied [boxes 1-4], 1840/1898"],"parent_unittitles_tesim":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917","Series 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied [boxes 1-4], 1840/1898"],"normalized_date_ssm":["1862"],"unitdate_inclusive_ssm":["1862"],"level_ssm":["File"],"level_ssim":["File"],"component_level_isim":[2],"sort_isi":23,"repository_ssim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center"],"collection_ssim":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917"],"containers_ssim":["Box 2","Folder 4"],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"child_component_count_isi":0,"parent_access_restrict_tesm":["No special access restriction applies.","Researchers may access digitized materials by requesting to view the materials in person by appointment or remotely by contacting the West Virginia \u0026 Regional History Center reference department."],"parent_access_terms_tesm":["Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website."],"date_range_isim":[1862],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eTopics include:\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e Politics: Items 421-422, 424-426, 428, 435-440 (new state and emancipation, speeches) \u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eGovernment/War: Items 433-434 (reparations for stolen horses and harness) \u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eFamily and Friends: Items 423, 427, 429-432, 434, 439 (genealogy from a relative, speeches, war at home, Camp Chase prisoner, bills in Congress)\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Contents"],"scopecontent_tesim":["Topics include:","Politics: Items 421-422, 424-426, 428, 435-440 (new state and emancipation, speeches)","Government/War: Items 433-434 (reparations for stolen horses and harness)","Family and Friends: Items 423, 427, 429-432, 434, 439 (genealogy from a relative, speeches, war at home, Camp Chase prisoner, bills in Congress)"],"_nest_path_":"/components#0/components#21","timestamp":"2026-09-01T16:09:24.514Z","collection":{"numFound":1,"start":0,"numFoundExact":true,"docs":[{"id":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","ead_ssi":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","_root_":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","_nest_parent_":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","ead_source_url_ssi":"data/oai/WVU/repositories_2_resources_2345.xml","aspace_url_ssi":"https://archives.lib.wvu.edu/ark:/99999/196411","title_ssm":["Waitman T. Willey Papers"],"title_tesim":["Waitman T. Willey Papers"],"unitdate_ssm":["1820-1917"],"unitdate_inclusive_ssm":["1820-1917"],"normalized_date_ssm":["1820/1917"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917"],"text":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917","A\u0026M 0003","Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","/repositories/2/resources/2345","Monongalia County (W. Va.)","United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government","United States -- Politics and government","Politics and government.","Secession","Temperance","Politicians -- United States","Statehood politics -- West Virginia","Diaries","No special access restriction applies.","Researchers may access digitized materials by requesting to view the materials in person by appointment or remotely by contacting the West Virginia \u0026 Regional History Center reference department.","Waitman Thomas Willey, West Virginia pioneer, lawyer, Methodist churchman, and United States Senator, was born October 18, 1811, at Buffalo Creek, Virginia (near Fairmont in Marion County, West Virginia), the son of William Willey, Jr., former Revolutionary War soldier under General Anthony Wayne, and Sarah Barnes, a member of a prominent family of northwestern Virginia.","Willey's first twelve years were spent at Buffalo Creek where his father's farm was a frontier homestead isolated from the few towns in the area. In 1823, the family (which now included stepmother, Mary McCormack Willey) moved to a farm on the Monongahela River in Monongalia County near present-day Rivesville. Here, Willey received a rudimentary formal education with readings from the classics and the Bible.","In 1827, Willey walked the forty miles from his home to Uniontown, Pennsylvania to attend Madison College (later Allegheny College) where he excelled in classical studies and mathematics. After three and one half years he received a B.A. degree, and then read law in the office of Philip Doddridge and John Campbell in Wellsburg, Brooke County, Virginia. He was admitted to the bar in 1833; in addition, he received an M.A. degree from Augusta College in Kentucky in 1834.","Willey settled in Morgantown, Monongalia County, Virginia, in 1832, with his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Patrick Ray, a prominent citizen of Morgantown who was Clerk of the Court and a founder of the Morgantown Female Academy (to which he gave his home). The Willey family subsequently included seven children: Mary Ellen, wife of Dr. M.L. Casselberry of Morgantown; Sarah Barnes, wife of J. Marshall Hagans, distinguished judge; William Patrick, professor of law at West Virginia University; Julia, wife of Major William McGrew, Union Army officer, West Virginia state senator, and Morgantown banker; Thomas Ray, United States government clerk in the Interior Department; Louisa, unmarried, who remained at home; and John Byrne, deputy clerk of Monongalia County.","Waitman T. Willey maintained a successful and lucrative law practice in Morgantown for 67 years. He served as Monongalia County Clerk and clerk of the Circuit Superior Court from 1841 to 1852, and was Morgantown's first Superintendent of Schools. Willey had an early interest in politics and was an active member of the conservative Whig Party: he served as an elector for the Harrison-Tyler election of 1840, was an unsuccessful Whig candidate for Congress in 1852, an unsuccessful Opposition (Whig Party) candidate for Lt. Governor of Virginia in 1859, and a delegate to the Constitutional Union Party convention which nominated Bell and Everett for President and Vice President in 1860. In 1850, Willey had been a delegate to the Virginia Constitutional Convention where he championed western Virginia interests, white manhood suffrage, and governmental reforms. Again, in 1861, he was a delegate to the Virginia Convention that voted for secession (Willey voted against it). In the subsequent, Pro-Union, reorganized legislature (the \"Restored Government of Virginia at Wheeling\"), Willey was elected to Congress to complete the term of James M. Mason for two years. While in the Senate, Willey actively introduced legislation to admit West Virginia into the Union. The Reorganized Government proposed a new state Constitution that Willey supported in Congress in 1862. Following revision of the proposal to include emancipation of slaves and a favorable referendum by the West Virginia voters, statehood was achieved in 1863.","Willey returned to the Senate in 1863 and was elected to the full six-year term in 1865. During his tenure, he initially opposed Republican lawmakers over issues involving the war, confiscation of rebel property, and slavery. But because of his \"ardent support\" of the Union, Willey's political views evolved through the years to support Republican aims, including national emancipation of slaves and disenfranchisement of disloyal citizens. He considered the latter appropriate in order to keep \"southern sympathizers\" from gaining control of West Virginia and perhaps reuniting the state with Virginia. Although Willey was aligned with conservative Republicans in the Senate, he did vote for the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Reconstruction Acts, the removal of President Johnson, and the 14th and 15th Amendments. He opposed the Freedman's Bureau and the Enforcement Acts of 1870. Many in West Virginia opposed Republican Party policies, and in 1870 the party lost control of state government. Willey left the Senate in 1871 and returned to his Morgantown law practice and the County Clerkship (1882-1890).","Willey remained active in politics throughout his later life. He served in the 1872 State Constitutional Convention and supported Republican Party policies and candidates, and was chairman of the West Virginia delegation to the GOP National Convention in 1876. He also continued his active service in the Methodist Church where he was an advocate for lay participation in the national conference and served as delegate from West Virginia in 1880. Willey was much in demand as a public speaker throughout his life -- he was called, \"old man eloquent\" -- because of his commanding appearance, \"thrilling\" voice, evident sincerity, and knowledge. He spoke frequently on Temperance, Methodist beliefs, politics, the classics, and history. He collected a large library, wrote numerous articles and a biography of Philip Doddridge. He received several honorary degrees, including LLD from Allegheny College and West Virginia University. Willey's last public appearance was at the funeral of Governor Pierpont when he gave a \"stirring\" eulogy. He was 88 years of age.","Waitman T. Willey, \"Grand Old Man of West Virginia,\" died May 2, 1900, at his home, Chancery Hill, in Morgantown. His funeral was the largest ever held in Morgantown to that time. He was interred in Oak Grove Cemetery.","Notes:\n1. In June, 1861, Willey was not present at the second convention in Wheeling at which the Reorganized Government of Virginia was established in preparation for statehood. His father and stepmother were fatally ill at the time and he was at home.","2. Willey never wrote a history of the statehood deliberations, politics, or conventions. He felt he was too biased to do justice to the history. No history was ever written by the participants.","Bibliography:\n1. Ambler, C.H.; Waitman Thomas Willey, 1954, Standard Printing and Publishing C., Huntington, W. Va.","2. Corson, L.D.; Legislative Career of Waitman T. Willey, 1942, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","3. Moore, J.T.; \"Waitman T. Willey,\" in Dictionary of American Biography, p. 426.","4. Obituary, Morgantown Weekly Post, Thursday, May 10, 1900.","5. Ware, A.F.; A Study of the Rhetoric of Waitman T. Willey in the West Virginia Statehood Movement, 1952, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","6. White, L.C.; West Virginia and Her U.S. Senators in the Impeachment of President Andrew Johnson, 1928, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","7. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Liberty and Union,\" 1854, Wheeling, J.E. Wharton, publisher. A speech.","8. Willey, Waitman T.; address delivered before the Constitutional Convention of West Virginia in the City of Wheeling, 12 February 1863.","9. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Historical Address,\" Celebration of the Municipal Centennial of Morgantown, 1885.","10. Willey, William P.; The Formation of the State of West Virginia, 1901, The News Publishing Co., Wheeling, W. Va.","Prepared by Carole B. Boyd, M.D., 2000.","1361","Papers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material.","Series include:","Series 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied, 1840–1898, boxes 1-4\nSeries 1b. Incoming Correspondence -- Non-Transcribed/Not Copied, 1833–1900, boxes 4-16\nSeries 2. Financial Records, 1837–1869, boxes 17-18\nSeries 3. Legal Papers, 1820–1856, boxes 19-20\nSeries 4. W.T. Willey's Diary, 1830–1908, boxes 21-22\nSeries 5. Miscellaneous, 1827-1917, undated, box 22 and unboxed","Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website.","Papers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material. For more information about Willey, see the Historical Note.","West Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536  / URL: West Virginia \u0026 Regional History Center","West Virginia and Regional History Center","United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)","Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, William P. (William Patrick)","English\n."],"collection_title_tesim":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917"],"collection_ssim":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917"],"level_ssm":["collection"],"level_ssim":["Collection"],"unitid_ssm":["A\u0026M 0003","Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","/repositories/2/resources/2345"],"unitid_tesim":["A\u0026M 0003","Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","/repositories/2/resources/2345"],"repository_ssm":["West Virginia and Regional History Center"],"repository_ssim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center"],"geogname_ssm":["Monongalia County (W. Va.)","United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government","United States -- Politics and government"],"geogname_ssim":["Monongalia County (W. Va.)","United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government","United States -- Politics and government"],"places_ssim":["Monongalia County (W. Va.)","United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government","United States -- Politics and government"],"creator_ssm":["Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900"],"creator_ssim":["Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900"],"creator_persname_ssim":["Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, William P. (William Patrick)"],"creator_corpname_ssim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center","United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)"],"creators_ssim":["Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, William P. (William Patrick)","West Virginia and Regional History Center","United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)"],"access_terms_ssm":["Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website."],"access_subjects_ssim":["Politics and government.","Secession","Temperance","Politicians -- United States","Statehood politics -- West Virginia","Diaries"],"access_subjects_ssm":["Politics and government.","Secession","Temperance","Politicians -- United States","Statehood politics -- West Virginia","Diaries"],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"extent_ssm":["9.2 Linear Feet Summary: 9 ft. 2 1/4 in. (22 document cases, 5 in. each); (1 oversize folder, 1/4 in.)"],"extent_tesim":["9.2 Linear Feet Summary: 9 ft. 2 1/4 in. (22 document cases, 5 in. each); (1 oversize folder, 1/4 in.)"],"genreform_ssim":["Diaries"],"date_range_isim":[1820,1821,1822,1823,1824,1825,1826,1827,1828,1829,1830,1831,1832,1833,1834,1835,1836,1837,1838,1839,1840,1841,1842,1843,1844,1845,1846,1847,1848,1849,1850,1851,1852,1853,1854,1855,1856,1857,1858,1859,1860,1861,1862,1863,1864,1865,1866,1867,1868,1869,1870,1871,1872,1873,1874,1875,1876,1877,1878,1879,1880,1881,1882,1883,1884,1885,1886,1887,1888,1889,1890,1891,1892,1893,1894,1895,1896,1897,1898,1899,1900,1901,1902,1903,1904,1905,1906,1907,1908,1909,1910,1911,1912,1913,1914,1915,1916,1917],"accessrestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eNo special access restriction applies.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eResearchers may access digitized materials by requesting to view the materials in person by appointment or remotely by contacting the \u003ca href=\"https://westvirginia.libanswers.com/wvrhc\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eWest Virginia \u0026amp; Regional History Center reference department\u003c/a\u003e. \u003c/p\u003e  "],"accessrestrict_heading_ssm":["Conditions Governing Access"],"accessrestrict_tesim":["No special access restriction applies.","Researchers may access digitized materials by requesting to view the materials in person by appointment or remotely by contacting the West Virginia \u0026 Regional History Center reference department."],"bioghist_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eWaitman Thomas Willey, West Virginia pioneer, lawyer, Methodist churchman, and United States Senator, was born October 18, 1811, at Buffalo Creek, Virginia (near Fairmont in Marion County, West Virginia), the son of William Willey, Jr., former Revolutionary War soldier under General Anthony Wayne, and Sarah Barnes, a member of a prominent family of northwestern Virginia.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWilley's first twelve years were spent at Buffalo Creek where his father's farm was a frontier homestead isolated from the few towns in the area. In 1823, the family (which now included stepmother, Mary McCormack Willey) moved to a farm on the Monongahela River in Monongalia County near present-day Rivesville. Here, Willey received a rudimentary formal education with readings from the classics and the Bible.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eIn 1827, Willey walked the forty miles from his home to Uniontown, Pennsylvania to attend Madison College (later Allegheny College) where he excelled in classical studies and mathematics. After three and one half years he received a B.A. degree, and then read law in the office of Philip Doddridge and John Campbell in Wellsburg, Brooke County, Virginia. He was admitted to the bar in 1833; in addition, he received an M.A. degree from Augusta College in Kentucky in 1834.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWilley settled in Morgantown, Monongalia County, Virginia, in 1832, with his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Patrick Ray, a prominent citizen of Morgantown who was Clerk of the Court and a founder of the Morgantown Female Academy (to which he gave his home). The Willey family subsequently included seven children: Mary Ellen, wife of Dr. M.L. Casselberry of Morgantown; Sarah Barnes, wife of J. Marshall Hagans, distinguished judge; William Patrick, professor of law at West Virginia University; Julia, wife of Major William McGrew, Union Army officer, West Virginia state senator, and Morgantown banker; Thomas Ray, United States government clerk in the Interior Department; Louisa, unmarried, who remained at home; and John Byrne, deputy clerk of Monongalia County.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWaitman T. Willey maintained a successful and lucrative law practice in Morgantown for 67 years. He served as Monongalia County Clerk and clerk of the Circuit Superior Court from 1841 to 1852, and was Morgantown's first Superintendent of Schools. Willey had an early interest in politics and was an active member of the conservative Whig Party: he served as an elector for the Harrison-Tyler election of 1840, was an unsuccessful Whig candidate for Congress in 1852, an unsuccessful Opposition (Whig Party) candidate for Lt. Governor of Virginia in 1859, and a delegate to the Constitutional Union Party convention which nominated Bell and Everett for President and Vice President in 1860. In 1850, Willey had been a delegate to the Virginia Constitutional Convention where he championed western Virginia interests, white manhood suffrage, and governmental reforms. Again, in 1861, he was a delegate to the Virginia Convention that voted for secession (Willey voted against it). In the subsequent, Pro-Union, reorganized legislature (the \"Restored Government of Virginia at Wheeling\"), Willey was elected to Congress to complete the term of James M. Mason for two years. While in the Senate, Willey actively introduced legislation to admit West Virginia into the Union. The Reorganized Government proposed a new state Constitution that Willey supported in Congress in 1862. Following revision of the proposal to include emancipation of slaves and a favorable referendum by the West Virginia voters, statehood was achieved in 1863.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWilley returned to the Senate in 1863 and was elected to the full six-year term in 1865. During his tenure, he initially opposed Republican lawmakers over issues involving the war, confiscation of rebel property, and slavery. But because of his \"ardent support\" of the Union, Willey's political views evolved through the years to support Republican aims, including national emancipation of slaves and disenfranchisement of disloyal citizens. He considered the latter appropriate in order to keep \"southern sympathizers\" from gaining control of West Virginia and perhaps reuniting the state with Virginia. Although Willey was aligned with conservative Republicans in the Senate, he did vote for the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Reconstruction Acts, the removal of President Johnson, and the 14th and 15th Amendments. He opposed the Freedman's Bureau and the Enforcement Acts of 1870. Many in West Virginia opposed Republican Party policies, and in 1870 the party lost control of state government. Willey left the Senate in 1871 and returned to his Morgantown law practice and the County Clerkship (1882-1890).\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWilley remained active in politics throughout his later life. He served in the 1872 State Constitutional Convention and supported Republican Party policies and candidates, and was chairman of the West Virginia delegation to the GOP National Convention in 1876. He also continued his active service in the Methodist Church where he was an advocate for lay participation in the national conference and served as delegate from West Virginia in 1880. Willey was much in demand as a public speaker throughout his life -- he was called, \"old man eloquent\" -- because of his commanding appearance, \"thrilling\" voice, evident sincerity, and knowledge. He spoke frequently on Temperance, Methodist beliefs, politics, the classics, and history. He collected a large library, wrote numerous articles and a biography of Philip Doddridge. He received several honorary degrees, including LLD from Allegheny College and West Virginia University. Willey's last public appearance was at the funeral of Governor Pierpont when he gave a \"stirring\" eulogy. He was 88 years of age.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWaitman T. Willey, \"Grand Old Man of West Virginia,\" died May 2, 1900, at his home, Chancery Hill, in Morgantown. His funeral was the largest ever held in Morgantown to that time. He was interred in Oak Grove Cemetery.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eNotes:\n1. In June, 1861, Willey was not present at the second convention in Wheeling at which the Reorganized Government of Virginia was established in preparation for statehood. His father and stepmother were fatally ill at the time and he was at home.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e2. Willey never wrote a history of the statehood deliberations, politics, or conventions. He felt he was too biased to do justice to the history. No history was ever written by the participants.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eBibliography:\n1. Ambler, C.H.; \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eWaitman Thomas Willey\u003c/emph\u003e, 1954, Standard Printing and Publishing C., Huntington, W. Va.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e2. Corson, L.D.; \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eLegislative Career of Waitman T. Willey\u003c/emph\u003e, 1942, master's thesis, West Virginia University.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e3. Moore, J.T.; \"Waitman T. Willey,\" in \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eDictionary of American Biography\u003c/emph\u003e, p. 426.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e4. \u003cemph render=\"italic\"\u003eObituary\u003c/emph\u003e, \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eMorgantown Weekly Post\u003c/emph\u003e, Thursday, May 10, 1900.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e5. Ware, A.F.; \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eA Study of the Rhetoric of Waitman T. Willey in the West Virginia Statehood Movement\u003c/emph\u003e, 1952, master's thesis, West Virginia University.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e6. White, L.C.; \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eWest Virginia and Her U.S. Senators in the Impeachment of President Andrew Johnson\u003c/emph\u003e, 1928, master's thesis, West Virginia University.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e7. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Liberty and Union,\" 1854, Wheeling, J.E. Wharton, publisher. A speech.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e8. Willey, Waitman T.; address delivered before the Constitutional Convention of West Virginia in the City of Wheeling, 12 February 1863.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e9. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Historical Address,\" Celebration of the Municipal Centennial of Morgantown, 1885.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e10. Willey, William P.; The Formation of the State of West Virginia, 1901, The News Publishing Co., Wheeling, W. Va.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003ePrepared by Carole B. Boyd, M.D., 2000.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"bioghist_heading_ssm":["Biographical / Historical"],"bioghist_tesim":["Waitman Thomas Willey, West Virginia pioneer, lawyer, Methodist churchman, and United States Senator, was born October 18, 1811, at Buffalo Creek, Virginia (near Fairmont in Marion County, West Virginia), the son of William Willey, Jr., former Revolutionary War soldier under General Anthony Wayne, and Sarah Barnes, a member of a prominent family of northwestern Virginia.","Willey's first twelve years were spent at Buffalo Creek where his father's farm was a frontier homestead isolated from the few towns in the area. In 1823, the family (which now included stepmother, Mary McCormack Willey) moved to a farm on the Monongahela River in Monongalia County near present-day Rivesville. Here, Willey received a rudimentary formal education with readings from the classics and the Bible.","In 1827, Willey walked the forty miles from his home to Uniontown, Pennsylvania to attend Madison College (later Allegheny College) where he excelled in classical studies and mathematics. After three and one half years he received a B.A. degree, and then read law in the office of Philip Doddridge and John Campbell in Wellsburg, Brooke County, Virginia. He was admitted to the bar in 1833; in addition, he received an M.A. degree from Augusta College in Kentucky in 1834.","Willey settled in Morgantown, Monongalia County, Virginia, in 1832, with his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Patrick Ray, a prominent citizen of Morgantown who was Clerk of the Court and a founder of the Morgantown Female Academy (to which he gave his home). The Willey family subsequently included seven children: Mary Ellen, wife of Dr. M.L. Casselberry of Morgantown; Sarah Barnes, wife of J. Marshall Hagans, distinguished judge; William Patrick, professor of law at West Virginia University; Julia, wife of Major William McGrew, Union Army officer, West Virginia state senator, and Morgantown banker; Thomas Ray, United States government clerk in the Interior Department; Louisa, unmarried, who remained at home; and John Byrne, deputy clerk of Monongalia County.","Waitman T. Willey maintained a successful and lucrative law practice in Morgantown for 67 years. He served as Monongalia County Clerk and clerk of the Circuit Superior Court from 1841 to 1852, and was Morgantown's first Superintendent of Schools. Willey had an early interest in politics and was an active member of the conservative Whig Party: he served as an elector for the Harrison-Tyler election of 1840, was an unsuccessful Whig candidate for Congress in 1852, an unsuccessful Opposition (Whig Party) candidate for Lt. Governor of Virginia in 1859, and a delegate to the Constitutional Union Party convention which nominated Bell and Everett for President and Vice President in 1860. In 1850, Willey had been a delegate to the Virginia Constitutional Convention where he championed western Virginia interests, white manhood suffrage, and governmental reforms. Again, in 1861, he was a delegate to the Virginia Convention that voted for secession (Willey voted against it). In the subsequent, Pro-Union, reorganized legislature (the \"Restored Government of Virginia at Wheeling\"), Willey was elected to Congress to complete the term of James M. Mason for two years. While in the Senate, Willey actively introduced legislation to admit West Virginia into the Union. The Reorganized Government proposed a new state Constitution that Willey supported in Congress in 1862. Following revision of the proposal to include emancipation of slaves and a favorable referendum by the West Virginia voters, statehood was achieved in 1863.","Willey returned to the Senate in 1863 and was elected to the full six-year term in 1865. During his tenure, he initially opposed Republican lawmakers over issues involving the war, confiscation of rebel property, and slavery. But because of his \"ardent support\" of the Union, Willey's political views evolved through the years to support Republican aims, including national emancipation of slaves and disenfranchisement of disloyal citizens. He considered the latter appropriate in order to keep \"southern sympathizers\" from gaining control of West Virginia and perhaps reuniting the state with Virginia. Although Willey was aligned with conservative Republicans in the Senate, he did vote for the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Reconstruction Acts, the removal of President Johnson, and the 14th and 15th Amendments. He opposed the Freedman's Bureau and the Enforcement Acts of 1870. Many in West Virginia opposed Republican Party policies, and in 1870 the party lost control of state government. Willey left the Senate in 1871 and returned to his Morgantown law practice and the County Clerkship (1882-1890).","Willey remained active in politics throughout his later life. He served in the 1872 State Constitutional Convention and supported Republican Party policies and candidates, and was chairman of the West Virginia delegation to the GOP National Convention in 1876. He also continued his active service in the Methodist Church where he was an advocate for lay participation in the national conference and served as delegate from West Virginia in 1880. Willey was much in demand as a public speaker throughout his life -- he was called, \"old man eloquent\" -- because of his commanding appearance, \"thrilling\" voice, evident sincerity, and knowledge. He spoke frequently on Temperance, Methodist beliefs, politics, the classics, and history. He collected a large library, wrote numerous articles and a biography of Philip Doddridge. He received several honorary degrees, including LLD from Allegheny College and West Virginia University. Willey's last public appearance was at the funeral of Governor Pierpont when he gave a \"stirring\" eulogy. He was 88 years of age.","Waitman T. Willey, \"Grand Old Man of West Virginia,\" died May 2, 1900, at his home, Chancery Hill, in Morgantown. His funeral was the largest ever held in Morgantown to that time. He was interred in Oak Grove Cemetery.","Notes:\n1. In June, 1861, Willey was not present at the second convention in Wheeling at which the Reorganized Government of Virginia was established in preparation for statehood. His father and stepmother were fatally ill at the time and he was at home.","2. Willey never wrote a history of the statehood deliberations, politics, or conventions. He felt he was too biased to do justice to the history. No history was ever written by the participants.","Bibliography:\n1. Ambler, C.H.; Waitman Thomas Willey, 1954, Standard Printing and Publishing C., Huntington, W. Va.","2. Corson, L.D.; Legislative Career of Waitman T. Willey, 1942, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","3. Moore, J.T.; \"Waitman T. Willey,\" in Dictionary of American Biography, p. 426.","4. Obituary, Morgantown Weekly Post, Thursday, May 10, 1900.","5. Ware, A.F.; A Study of the Rhetoric of Waitman T. Willey in the West Virginia Statehood Movement, 1952, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","6. White, L.C.; West Virginia and Her U.S. Senators in the Impeachment of President Andrew Johnson, 1928, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","7. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Liberty and Union,\" 1854, Wheeling, J.E. Wharton, publisher. A speech.","8. Willey, Waitman T.; address delivered before the Constitutional Convention of West Virginia in the City of Wheeling, 12 February 1863.","9. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Historical Address,\" Celebration of the Municipal Centennial of Morgantown, 1885.","10. Willey, William P.; The Formation of the State of West Virginia, 1901, The News Publishing Co., Wheeling, W. Va.","Prepared by Carole B. Boyd, M.D., 2000."],"prefercite_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003e[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Waitman T. Willey Papers, A\u0026amp;M 0003, West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"prefercite_tesim":["[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Waitman T. Willey Papers, A\u0026M 0003, West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia."],"relatedmaterial_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003e1361\u003c/p\u003e  "],"relatedmaterial_heading_ssm":["Related A\u0026M Collections"],"relatedmaterial_tesim":["1361"],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003ePapers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eSeries include:\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eSeries 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied, 1840–1898, boxes 1-4\nSeries 1b. Incoming Correspondence -- Non-Transcribed/Not Copied, 1833–1900, boxes 4-16\nSeries 2. Financial Records, 1837–1869, boxes 17-18\nSeries 3. Legal Papers, 1820–1856, boxes 19-20\nSeries 4. W.T. Willey's Diary, 1830–1908, boxes 21-22\nSeries 5. Miscellaneous, 1827-1917, undated, box 22 and unboxed\u003c/p\u003e  "],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Contents"],"scopecontent_tesim":["Papers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material.","Series include:","Series 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied, 1840–1898, boxes 1-4\nSeries 1b. Incoming Correspondence -- Non-Transcribed/Not Copied, 1833–1900, boxes 4-16\nSeries 2. Financial Records, 1837–1869, boxes 17-18\nSeries 3. Legal Papers, 1820–1856, boxes 19-20\nSeries 4. W.T. Willey's Diary, 1830–1908, boxes 21-22\nSeries 5. Miscellaneous, 1827-1917, undated, box 22 and unboxed"],"userestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003ePermission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the \u003ca href=\"https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu/visit/permissions-and-copyright\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ePermissions and Copyright page\u003c/a\u003e on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"userestrict_heading_ssm":["Conditions Governing Use"],"userestrict_tesim":["Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website."],"abstract_html_tesm":["\u003cabstract id=\"aspace_18cd3685d4dadbc9e748f60d929a78ab\"\u003ePapers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material. For more information about Willey, see the Historical Note.\u003c/abstract\u003e\n    "],"abstract_tesim":["Papers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material. For more information about Willey, see the Historical Note."],"physloc_html_tesm":["\u003cphysloc id=\"aspace_5cf97afe325843f43df11ef15816113b\"\u003eWest Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536  / URL: \u003ca href=\"https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu/\"\u003eWest Virginia \u0026amp; Regional History Center\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/physloc\u003e\n    "],"physloc_tesim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536  / URL: West Virginia \u0026 Regional History Center"],"corpname_ssim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center","United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)"],"names_coll_ssim":["United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Willey, William P. (William Patrick)"],"persname_ssim":["Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, William P. (William Patrick)"],"names_ssim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center","United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)","Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, William P. 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Incoming Correspondence -- Non-Transcribed/Not Copied [boxes 4-16], 1833/1900"],"parent_unittitles_tesim":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917","Series 1b. Incoming Correspondence -- Non-Transcribed/Not Copied [boxes 4-16], 1833/1900"],"normalized_date_ssm":["1865/1866"],"unitdate_inclusive_ssm":["1865–1866"],"level_ssm":["File"],"level_ssim":["File"],"component_level_isim":[2],"sort_isi":73,"repository_ssim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center"],"collection_ssim":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917"],"containers_ssim":["Box 12"],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"child_component_count_isi":0,"parent_access_restrict_tesm":["No special access restriction applies.","Researchers may access digitized materials by requesting to view the materials in person by appointment or remotely by contacting the West Virginia \u0026 Regional History Center reference department."],"parent_access_terms_tesm":["Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website."],"date_range_isim":[1865,1866],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eTopics include:\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e Family and Friends\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003ePolitics\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eGovernment\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWar\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eOther Topics (e.g. items 4330a-4330b -- brief messages regarding fall of Richmond and fate of Lee's army; e.g. item 4421 -- letter from J. Evans, Governor of Colorado Territory, regarding \"Sand Creek Affair\")\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Contents"],"scopecontent_tesim":["Topics include:","Family and Friends","Politics","Government","War","Other Topics (e.g. items 4330a-4330b -- brief messages regarding fall of Richmond and fate of Lee's army; e.g. item 4421 -- letter from J. Evans, Governor of Colorado Territory, regarding \"Sand Creek Affair\")"],"_nest_path_":"/components#1/components#11","timestamp":"2026-09-01T16:09:24.514Z","collection":{"numFound":1,"start":0,"numFoundExact":true,"docs":[{"id":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","ead_ssi":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","_root_":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","_nest_parent_":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","ead_source_url_ssi":"data/oai/WVU/repositories_2_resources_2345.xml","aspace_url_ssi":"https://archives.lib.wvu.edu/ark:/99999/196411","title_ssm":["Waitman T. Willey Papers"],"title_tesim":["Waitman T. Willey Papers"],"unitdate_ssm":["1820-1917"],"unitdate_inclusive_ssm":["1820-1917"],"normalized_date_ssm":["1820/1917"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917"],"text":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917","A\u0026M 0003","Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","/repositories/2/resources/2345","Monongalia County (W. Va.)","United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government","United States -- Politics and government","Politics and government.","Secession","Temperance","Politicians -- United States","Statehood politics -- West Virginia","Diaries","No special access restriction applies.","Researchers may access digitized materials by requesting to view the materials in person by appointment or remotely by contacting the West Virginia \u0026 Regional History Center reference department.","Waitman Thomas Willey, West Virginia pioneer, lawyer, Methodist churchman, and United States Senator, was born October 18, 1811, at Buffalo Creek, Virginia (near Fairmont in Marion County, West Virginia), the son of William Willey, Jr., former Revolutionary War soldier under General Anthony Wayne, and Sarah Barnes, a member of a prominent family of northwestern Virginia.","Willey's first twelve years were spent at Buffalo Creek where his father's farm was a frontier homestead isolated from the few towns in the area. In 1823, the family (which now included stepmother, Mary McCormack Willey) moved to a farm on the Monongahela River in Monongalia County near present-day Rivesville. Here, Willey received a rudimentary formal education with readings from the classics and the Bible.","In 1827, Willey walked the forty miles from his home to Uniontown, Pennsylvania to attend Madison College (later Allegheny College) where he excelled in classical studies and mathematics. After three and one half years he received a B.A. degree, and then read law in the office of Philip Doddridge and John Campbell in Wellsburg, Brooke County, Virginia. He was admitted to the bar in 1833; in addition, he received an M.A. degree from Augusta College in Kentucky in 1834.","Willey settled in Morgantown, Monongalia County, Virginia, in 1832, with his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Patrick Ray, a prominent citizen of Morgantown who was Clerk of the Court and a founder of the Morgantown Female Academy (to which he gave his home). The Willey family subsequently included seven children: Mary Ellen, wife of Dr. M.L. Casselberry of Morgantown; Sarah Barnes, wife of J. Marshall Hagans, distinguished judge; William Patrick, professor of law at West Virginia University; Julia, wife of Major William McGrew, Union Army officer, West Virginia state senator, and Morgantown banker; Thomas Ray, United States government clerk in the Interior Department; Louisa, unmarried, who remained at home; and John Byrne, deputy clerk of Monongalia County.","Waitman T. Willey maintained a successful and lucrative law practice in Morgantown for 67 years. He served as Monongalia County Clerk and clerk of the Circuit Superior Court from 1841 to 1852, and was Morgantown's first Superintendent of Schools. Willey had an early interest in politics and was an active member of the conservative Whig Party: he served as an elector for the Harrison-Tyler election of 1840, was an unsuccessful Whig candidate for Congress in 1852, an unsuccessful Opposition (Whig Party) candidate for Lt. Governor of Virginia in 1859, and a delegate to the Constitutional Union Party convention which nominated Bell and Everett for President and Vice President in 1860. In 1850, Willey had been a delegate to the Virginia Constitutional Convention where he championed western Virginia interests, white manhood suffrage, and governmental reforms. Again, in 1861, he was a delegate to the Virginia Convention that voted for secession (Willey voted against it). In the subsequent, Pro-Union, reorganized legislature (the \"Restored Government of Virginia at Wheeling\"), Willey was elected to Congress to complete the term of James M. Mason for two years. While in the Senate, Willey actively introduced legislation to admit West Virginia into the Union. The Reorganized Government proposed a new state Constitution that Willey supported in Congress in 1862. Following revision of the proposal to include emancipation of slaves and a favorable referendum by the West Virginia voters, statehood was achieved in 1863.","Willey returned to the Senate in 1863 and was elected to the full six-year term in 1865. During his tenure, he initially opposed Republican lawmakers over issues involving the war, confiscation of rebel property, and slavery. But because of his \"ardent support\" of the Union, Willey's political views evolved through the years to support Republican aims, including national emancipation of slaves and disenfranchisement of disloyal citizens. He considered the latter appropriate in order to keep \"southern sympathizers\" from gaining control of West Virginia and perhaps reuniting the state with Virginia. Although Willey was aligned with conservative Republicans in the Senate, he did vote for the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Reconstruction Acts, the removal of President Johnson, and the 14th and 15th Amendments. He opposed the Freedman's Bureau and the Enforcement Acts of 1870. Many in West Virginia opposed Republican Party policies, and in 1870 the party lost control of state government. Willey left the Senate in 1871 and returned to his Morgantown law practice and the County Clerkship (1882-1890).","Willey remained active in politics throughout his later life. He served in the 1872 State Constitutional Convention and supported Republican Party policies and candidates, and was chairman of the West Virginia delegation to the GOP National Convention in 1876. He also continued his active service in the Methodist Church where he was an advocate for lay participation in the national conference and served as delegate from West Virginia in 1880. Willey was much in demand as a public speaker throughout his life -- he was called, \"old man eloquent\" -- because of his commanding appearance, \"thrilling\" voice, evident sincerity, and knowledge. He spoke frequently on Temperance, Methodist beliefs, politics, the classics, and history. He collected a large library, wrote numerous articles and a biography of Philip Doddridge. He received several honorary degrees, including LLD from Allegheny College and West Virginia University. Willey's last public appearance was at the funeral of Governor Pierpont when he gave a \"stirring\" eulogy. He was 88 years of age.","Waitman T. Willey, \"Grand Old Man of West Virginia,\" died May 2, 1900, at his home, Chancery Hill, in Morgantown. His funeral was the largest ever held in Morgantown to that time. He was interred in Oak Grove Cemetery.","Notes:\n1. In June, 1861, Willey was not present at the second convention in Wheeling at which the Reorganized Government of Virginia was established in preparation for statehood. His father and stepmother were fatally ill at the time and he was at home.","2. Willey never wrote a history of the statehood deliberations, politics, or conventions. He felt he was too biased to do justice to the history. No history was ever written by the participants.","Bibliography:\n1. Ambler, C.H.; Waitman Thomas Willey, 1954, Standard Printing and Publishing C., Huntington, W. Va.","2. Corson, L.D.; Legislative Career of Waitman T. Willey, 1942, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","3. Moore, J.T.; \"Waitman T. Willey,\" in Dictionary of American Biography, p. 426.","4. Obituary, Morgantown Weekly Post, Thursday, May 10, 1900.","5. Ware, A.F.; A Study of the Rhetoric of Waitman T. Willey in the West Virginia Statehood Movement, 1952, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","6. White, L.C.; West Virginia and Her U.S. Senators in the Impeachment of President Andrew Johnson, 1928, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","7. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Liberty and Union,\" 1854, Wheeling, J.E. Wharton, publisher. A speech.","8. Willey, Waitman T.; address delivered before the Constitutional Convention of West Virginia in the City of Wheeling, 12 February 1863.","9. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Historical Address,\" Celebration of the Municipal Centennial of Morgantown, 1885.","10. Willey, William P.; The Formation of the State of West Virginia, 1901, The News Publishing Co., Wheeling, W. Va.","Prepared by Carole B. Boyd, M.D., 2000.","1361","Papers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material.","Series include:","Series 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied, 1840–1898, boxes 1-4\nSeries 1b. Incoming Correspondence -- Non-Transcribed/Not Copied, 1833–1900, boxes 4-16\nSeries 2. Financial Records, 1837–1869, boxes 17-18\nSeries 3. Legal Papers, 1820–1856, boxes 19-20\nSeries 4. W.T. Willey's Diary, 1830–1908, boxes 21-22\nSeries 5. Miscellaneous, 1827-1917, undated, box 22 and unboxed","Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website.","Papers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material. For more information about Willey, see the Historical Note.","West Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536  / URL: West Virginia \u0026 Regional History Center","West Virginia and Regional History Center","United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)","Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. 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Willey Papers, 1820/1917"],"level_ssm":["collection"],"level_ssim":["Collection"],"unitid_ssm":["A\u0026M 0003","Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","/repositories/2/resources/2345"],"unitid_tesim":["A\u0026M 0003","Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","/repositories/2/resources/2345"],"repository_ssm":["West Virginia and Regional History Center"],"repository_ssim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center"],"geogname_ssm":["Monongalia County (W. Va.)","United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government","United States -- Politics and government"],"geogname_ssim":["Monongalia County (W. Va.)","United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government","United States -- Politics and government"],"places_ssim":["Monongalia County (W. Va.)","United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government","United States -- Politics and government"],"creator_ssm":["Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900"],"creator_ssim":["Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900"],"creator_persname_ssim":["Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, William P. (William Patrick)"],"creator_corpname_ssim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center","United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)"],"creators_ssim":["Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, William P. (William Patrick)","West Virginia and Regional History Center","United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)"],"access_terms_ssm":["Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website."],"access_subjects_ssim":["Politics and government.","Secession","Temperance","Politicians -- United States","Statehood politics -- West Virginia","Diaries"],"access_subjects_ssm":["Politics and government.","Secession","Temperance","Politicians -- United States","Statehood politics -- West Virginia","Diaries"],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"extent_ssm":["9.2 Linear Feet Summary: 9 ft. 2 1/4 in. (22 document cases, 5 in. each); (1 oversize folder, 1/4 in.)"],"extent_tesim":["9.2 Linear Feet Summary: 9 ft. 2 1/4 in. (22 document cases, 5 in. each); (1 oversize folder, 1/4 in.)"],"genreform_ssim":["Diaries"],"date_range_isim":[1820,1821,1822,1823,1824,1825,1826,1827,1828,1829,1830,1831,1832,1833,1834,1835,1836,1837,1838,1839,1840,1841,1842,1843,1844,1845,1846,1847,1848,1849,1850,1851,1852,1853,1854,1855,1856,1857,1858,1859,1860,1861,1862,1863,1864,1865,1866,1867,1868,1869,1870,1871,1872,1873,1874,1875,1876,1877,1878,1879,1880,1881,1882,1883,1884,1885,1886,1887,1888,1889,1890,1891,1892,1893,1894,1895,1896,1897,1898,1899,1900,1901,1902,1903,1904,1905,1906,1907,1908,1909,1910,1911,1912,1913,1914,1915,1916,1917],"accessrestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eNo special access restriction applies.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eResearchers may access digitized materials by requesting to view the materials in person by appointment or remotely by contacting the \u003ca href=\"https://westvirginia.libanswers.com/wvrhc\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eWest Virginia \u0026amp; Regional History Center reference department\u003c/a\u003e. \u003c/p\u003e  "],"accessrestrict_heading_ssm":["Conditions Governing Access"],"accessrestrict_tesim":["No special access restriction applies.","Researchers may access digitized materials by requesting to view the materials in person by appointment or remotely by contacting the West Virginia \u0026 Regional History Center reference department."],"bioghist_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eWaitman Thomas Willey, West Virginia pioneer, lawyer, Methodist churchman, and United States Senator, was born October 18, 1811, at Buffalo Creek, Virginia (near Fairmont in Marion County, West Virginia), the son of William Willey, Jr., former Revolutionary War soldier under General Anthony Wayne, and Sarah Barnes, a member of a prominent family of northwestern Virginia.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWilley's first twelve years were spent at Buffalo Creek where his father's farm was a frontier homestead isolated from the few towns in the area. In 1823, the family (which now included stepmother, Mary McCormack Willey) moved to a farm on the Monongahela River in Monongalia County near present-day Rivesville. Here, Willey received a rudimentary formal education with readings from the classics and the Bible.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eIn 1827, Willey walked the forty miles from his home to Uniontown, Pennsylvania to attend Madison College (later Allegheny College) where he excelled in classical studies and mathematics. After three and one half years he received a B.A. degree, and then read law in the office of Philip Doddridge and John Campbell in Wellsburg, Brooke County, Virginia. He was admitted to the bar in 1833; in addition, he received an M.A. degree from Augusta College in Kentucky in 1834.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWilley settled in Morgantown, Monongalia County, Virginia, in 1832, with his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Patrick Ray, a prominent citizen of Morgantown who was Clerk of the Court and a founder of the Morgantown Female Academy (to which he gave his home). The Willey family subsequently included seven children: Mary Ellen, wife of Dr. M.L. Casselberry of Morgantown; Sarah Barnes, wife of J. Marshall Hagans, distinguished judge; William Patrick, professor of law at West Virginia University; Julia, wife of Major William McGrew, Union Army officer, West Virginia state senator, and Morgantown banker; Thomas Ray, United States government clerk in the Interior Department; Louisa, unmarried, who remained at home; and John Byrne, deputy clerk of Monongalia County.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWaitman T. Willey maintained a successful and lucrative law practice in Morgantown for 67 years. He served as Monongalia County Clerk and clerk of the Circuit Superior Court from 1841 to 1852, and was Morgantown's first Superintendent of Schools. Willey had an early interest in politics and was an active member of the conservative Whig Party: he served as an elector for the Harrison-Tyler election of 1840, was an unsuccessful Whig candidate for Congress in 1852, an unsuccessful Opposition (Whig Party) candidate for Lt. Governor of Virginia in 1859, and a delegate to the Constitutional Union Party convention which nominated Bell and Everett for President and Vice President in 1860. In 1850, Willey had been a delegate to the Virginia Constitutional Convention where he championed western Virginia interests, white manhood suffrage, and governmental reforms. Again, in 1861, he was a delegate to the Virginia Convention that voted for secession (Willey voted against it). In the subsequent, Pro-Union, reorganized legislature (the \"Restored Government of Virginia at Wheeling\"), Willey was elected to Congress to complete the term of James M. Mason for two years. While in the Senate, Willey actively introduced legislation to admit West Virginia into the Union. The Reorganized Government proposed a new state Constitution that Willey supported in Congress in 1862. Following revision of the proposal to include emancipation of slaves and a favorable referendum by the West Virginia voters, statehood was achieved in 1863.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWilley returned to the Senate in 1863 and was elected to the full six-year term in 1865. During his tenure, he initially opposed Republican lawmakers over issues involving the war, confiscation of rebel property, and slavery. But because of his \"ardent support\" of the Union, Willey's political views evolved through the years to support Republican aims, including national emancipation of slaves and disenfranchisement of disloyal citizens. He considered the latter appropriate in order to keep \"southern sympathizers\" from gaining control of West Virginia and perhaps reuniting the state with Virginia. Although Willey was aligned with conservative Republicans in the Senate, he did vote for the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Reconstruction Acts, the removal of President Johnson, and the 14th and 15th Amendments. He opposed the Freedman's Bureau and the Enforcement Acts of 1870. Many in West Virginia opposed Republican Party policies, and in 1870 the party lost control of state government. Willey left the Senate in 1871 and returned to his Morgantown law practice and the County Clerkship (1882-1890).\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWilley remained active in politics throughout his later life. He served in the 1872 State Constitutional Convention and supported Republican Party policies and candidates, and was chairman of the West Virginia delegation to the GOP National Convention in 1876. He also continued his active service in the Methodist Church where he was an advocate for lay participation in the national conference and served as delegate from West Virginia in 1880. Willey was much in demand as a public speaker throughout his life -- he was called, \"old man eloquent\" -- because of his commanding appearance, \"thrilling\" voice, evident sincerity, and knowledge. He spoke frequently on Temperance, Methodist beliefs, politics, the classics, and history. He collected a large library, wrote numerous articles and a biography of Philip Doddridge. He received several honorary degrees, including LLD from Allegheny College and West Virginia University. Willey's last public appearance was at the funeral of Governor Pierpont when he gave a \"stirring\" eulogy. He was 88 years of age.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWaitman T. Willey, \"Grand Old Man of West Virginia,\" died May 2, 1900, at his home, Chancery Hill, in Morgantown. His funeral was the largest ever held in Morgantown to that time. He was interred in Oak Grove Cemetery.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eNotes:\n1. In June, 1861, Willey was not present at the second convention in Wheeling at which the Reorganized Government of Virginia was established in preparation for statehood. His father and stepmother were fatally ill at the time and he was at home.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e2. Willey never wrote a history of the statehood deliberations, politics, or conventions. He felt he was too biased to do justice to the history. No history was ever written by the participants.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eBibliography:\n1. Ambler, C.H.; \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eWaitman Thomas Willey\u003c/emph\u003e, 1954, Standard Printing and Publishing C., Huntington, W. Va.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e2. Corson, L.D.; \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eLegislative Career of Waitman T. Willey\u003c/emph\u003e, 1942, master's thesis, West Virginia University.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e3. Moore, J.T.; \"Waitman T. Willey,\" in \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eDictionary of American Biography\u003c/emph\u003e, p. 426.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e4. \u003cemph render=\"italic\"\u003eObituary\u003c/emph\u003e, \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eMorgantown Weekly Post\u003c/emph\u003e, Thursday, May 10, 1900.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e5. Ware, A.F.; \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eA Study of the Rhetoric of Waitman T. Willey in the West Virginia Statehood Movement\u003c/emph\u003e, 1952, master's thesis, West Virginia University.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e6. White, L.C.; \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eWest Virginia and Her U.S. Senators in the Impeachment of President Andrew Johnson\u003c/emph\u003e, 1928, master's thesis, West Virginia University.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e7. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Liberty and Union,\" 1854, Wheeling, J.E. Wharton, publisher. A speech.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e8. Willey, Waitman T.; address delivered before the Constitutional Convention of West Virginia in the City of Wheeling, 12 February 1863.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e9. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Historical Address,\" Celebration of the Municipal Centennial of Morgantown, 1885.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e10. Willey, William P.; The Formation of the State of West Virginia, 1901, The News Publishing Co., Wheeling, W. Va.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003ePrepared by Carole B. Boyd, M.D., 2000.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"bioghist_heading_ssm":["Biographical / Historical"],"bioghist_tesim":["Waitman Thomas Willey, West Virginia pioneer, lawyer, Methodist churchman, and United States Senator, was born October 18, 1811, at Buffalo Creek, Virginia (near Fairmont in Marion County, West Virginia), the son of William Willey, Jr., former Revolutionary War soldier under General Anthony Wayne, and Sarah Barnes, a member of a prominent family of northwestern Virginia.","Willey's first twelve years were spent at Buffalo Creek where his father's farm was a frontier homestead isolated from the few towns in the area. In 1823, the family (which now included stepmother, Mary McCormack Willey) moved to a farm on the Monongahela River in Monongalia County near present-day Rivesville. Here, Willey received a rudimentary formal education with readings from the classics and the Bible.","In 1827, Willey walked the forty miles from his home to Uniontown, Pennsylvania to attend Madison College (later Allegheny College) where he excelled in classical studies and mathematics. After three and one half years he received a B.A. degree, and then read law in the office of Philip Doddridge and John Campbell in Wellsburg, Brooke County, Virginia. He was admitted to the bar in 1833; in addition, he received an M.A. degree from Augusta College in Kentucky in 1834.","Willey settled in Morgantown, Monongalia County, Virginia, in 1832, with his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Patrick Ray, a prominent citizen of Morgantown who was Clerk of the Court and a founder of the Morgantown Female Academy (to which he gave his home). The Willey family subsequently included seven children: Mary Ellen, wife of Dr. M.L. Casselberry of Morgantown; Sarah Barnes, wife of J. Marshall Hagans, distinguished judge; William Patrick, professor of law at West Virginia University; Julia, wife of Major William McGrew, Union Army officer, West Virginia state senator, and Morgantown banker; Thomas Ray, United States government clerk in the Interior Department; Louisa, unmarried, who remained at home; and John Byrne, deputy clerk of Monongalia County.","Waitman T. Willey maintained a successful and lucrative law practice in Morgantown for 67 years. He served as Monongalia County Clerk and clerk of the Circuit Superior Court from 1841 to 1852, and was Morgantown's first Superintendent of Schools. Willey had an early interest in politics and was an active member of the conservative Whig Party: he served as an elector for the Harrison-Tyler election of 1840, was an unsuccessful Whig candidate for Congress in 1852, an unsuccessful Opposition (Whig Party) candidate for Lt. Governor of Virginia in 1859, and a delegate to the Constitutional Union Party convention which nominated Bell and Everett for President and Vice President in 1860. In 1850, Willey had been a delegate to the Virginia Constitutional Convention where he championed western Virginia interests, white manhood suffrage, and governmental reforms. Again, in 1861, he was a delegate to the Virginia Convention that voted for secession (Willey voted against it). In the subsequent, Pro-Union, reorganized legislature (the \"Restored Government of Virginia at Wheeling\"), Willey was elected to Congress to complete the term of James M. Mason for two years. While in the Senate, Willey actively introduced legislation to admit West Virginia into the Union. The Reorganized Government proposed a new state Constitution that Willey supported in Congress in 1862. Following revision of the proposal to include emancipation of slaves and a favorable referendum by the West Virginia voters, statehood was achieved in 1863.","Willey returned to the Senate in 1863 and was elected to the full six-year term in 1865. During his tenure, he initially opposed Republican lawmakers over issues involving the war, confiscation of rebel property, and slavery. But because of his \"ardent support\" of the Union, Willey's political views evolved through the years to support Republican aims, including national emancipation of slaves and disenfranchisement of disloyal citizens. He considered the latter appropriate in order to keep \"southern sympathizers\" from gaining control of West Virginia and perhaps reuniting the state with Virginia. Although Willey was aligned with conservative Republicans in the Senate, he did vote for the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Reconstruction Acts, the removal of President Johnson, and the 14th and 15th Amendments. He opposed the Freedman's Bureau and the Enforcement Acts of 1870. Many in West Virginia opposed Republican Party policies, and in 1870 the party lost control of state government. Willey left the Senate in 1871 and returned to his Morgantown law practice and the County Clerkship (1882-1890).","Willey remained active in politics throughout his later life. He served in the 1872 State Constitutional Convention and supported Republican Party policies and candidates, and was chairman of the West Virginia delegation to the GOP National Convention in 1876. He also continued his active service in the Methodist Church where he was an advocate for lay participation in the national conference and served as delegate from West Virginia in 1880. Willey was much in demand as a public speaker throughout his life -- he was called, \"old man eloquent\" -- because of his commanding appearance, \"thrilling\" voice, evident sincerity, and knowledge. He spoke frequently on Temperance, Methodist beliefs, politics, the classics, and history. He collected a large library, wrote numerous articles and a biography of Philip Doddridge. He received several honorary degrees, including LLD from Allegheny College and West Virginia University. Willey's last public appearance was at the funeral of Governor Pierpont when he gave a \"stirring\" eulogy. He was 88 years of age.","Waitman T. Willey, \"Grand Old Man of West Virginia,\" died May 2, 1900, at his home, Chancery Hill, in Morgantown. His funeral was the largest ever held in Morgantown to that time. He was interred in Oak Grove Cemetery.","Notes:\n1. In June, 1861, Willey was not present at the second convention in Wheeling at which the Reorganized Government of Virginia was established in preparation for statehood. His father and stepmother were fatally ill at the time and he was at home.","2. Willey never wrote a history of the statehood deliberations, politics, or conventions. He felt he was too biased to do justice to the history. No history was ever written by the participants.","Bibliography:\n1. Ambler, C.H.; Waitman Thomas Willey, 1954, Standard Printing and Publishing C., Huntington, W. Va.","2. Corson, L.D.; Legislative Career of Waitman T. Willey, 1942, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","3. Moore, J.T.; \"Waitman T. Willey,\" in Dictionary of American Biography, p. 426.","4. Obituary, Morgantown Weekly Post, Thursday, May 10, 1900.","5. Ware, A.F.; A Study of the Rhetoric of Waitman T. Willey in the West Virginia Statehood Movement, 1952, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","6. White, L.C.; West Virginia and Her U.S. Senators in the Impeachment of President Andrew Johnson, 1928, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","7. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Liberty and Union,\" 1854, Wheeling, J.E. Wharton, publisher. A speech.","8. Willey, Waitman T.; address delivered before the Constitutional Convention of West Virginia in the City of Wheeling, 12 February 1863.","9. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Historical Address,\" Celebration of the Municipal Centennial of Morgantown, 1885.","10. Willey, William P.; The Formation of the State of West Virginia, 1901, The News Publishing Co., Wheeling, W. Va.","Prepared by Carole B. Boyd, M.D., 2000."],"prefercite_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003e[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Waitman T. Willey Papers, A\u0026amp;M 0003, West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"prefercite_tesim":["[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Waitman T. Willey Papers, A\u0026M 0003, West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia."],"relatedmaterial_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003e1361\u003c/p\u003e  "],"relatedmaterial_heading_ssm":["Related A\u0026M Collections"],"relatedmaterial_tesim":["1361"],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003ePapers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eSeries include:\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eSeries 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied, 1840–1898, boxes 1-4\nSeries 1b. Incoming Correspondence -- Non-Transcribed/Not Copied, 1833–1900, boxes 4-16\nSeries 2. Financial Records, 1837–1869, boxes 17-18\nSeries 3. Legal Papers, 1820–1856, boxes 19-20\nSeries 4. W.T. Willey's Diary, 1830–1908, boxes 21-22\nSeries 5. Miscellaneous, 1827-1917, undated, box 22 and unboxed\u003c/p\u003e  "],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Contents"],"scopecontent_tesim":["Papers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material.","Series include:","Series 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied, 1840–1898, boxes 1-4\nSeries 1b. Incoming Correspondence -- Non-Transcribed/Not Copied, 1833–1900, boxes 4-16\nSeries 2. Financial Records, 1837–1869, boxes 17-18\nSeries 3. Legal Papers, 1820–1856, boxes 19-20\nSeries 4. W.T. Willey's Diary, 1830–1908, boxes 21-22\nSeries 5. Miscellaneous, 1827-1917, undated, box 22 and unboxed"],"userestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003ePermission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the \u003ca href=\"https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu/visit/permissions-and-copyright\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ePermissions and Copyright page\u003c/a\u003e on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"userestrict_heading_ssm":["Conditions Governing Use"],"userestrict_tesim":["Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website."],"abstract_html_tesm":["\u003cabstract id=\"aspace_18cd3685d4dadbc9e748f60d929a78ab\"\u003ePapers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material. For more information about Willey, see the Historical Note.\u003c/abstract\u003e\n    "],"abstract_tesim":["Papers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material. For more information about Willey, see the Historical Note."],"physloc_html_tesm":["\u003cphysloc id=\"aspace_5cf97afe325843f43df11ef15816113b\"\u003eWest Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536  / URL: \u003ca href=\"https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu/\"\u003eWest Virginia \u0026amp; Regional History Center\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/physloc\u003e\n    "],"physloc_tesim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536  / URL: West Virginia \u0026 Regional History Center"],"corpname_ssim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center","United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)"],"names_coll_ssim":["United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. 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Willey Papers, 1820/1917","Series 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied [boxes 1-4], 1840/1898"],"parent_ids_ssim":["wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345_c01"],"title_filing_ssi":"Item Nos. 441-460","title_ssm":["Item Nos. 441-460"],"title_tesim":["Item Nos. 441-460"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Item Nos. 441-460, 1862"],"text":["Item Nos. 441-460, 1862","Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917","Series 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied [boxes 1-4], 1840/1898","Box 2","Folder 5","Topics include:","Politics: Items 441-447, 449-457 (emancipation in the new state and Congressional bill, state boundaries, speech given by Carlisle)","Family and Friends: Items 448, 451, 456, 458-460 (son's graduation from Dickinson College, army concerns at home, speeches, death in Morgantown)"],"parent_unittitles_ssm":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917","Series 1a. 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For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website."],"date_range_isim":[1862],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eTopics include:\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e Politics: Items 441-447, 449-457 (emancipation in the new state and Congressional bill, state boundaries, speech given by Carlisle) \u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eFamily and Friends: Items 448, 451, 456, 458-460 (son's graduation from Dickinson College, army concerns at home, speeches, death in Morgantown)\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Contents"],"scopecontent_tesim":["Topics include:","Politics: Items 441-447, 449-457 (emancipation in the new state and Congressional bill, state boundaries, speech given by Carlisle)","Family and Friends: Items 448, 451, 456, 458-460 (son's graduation from Dickinson College, army concerns at home, speeches, death in Morgantown)"],"_nest_path_":"/components#0/components#22","timestamp":"2026-09-01T16:09:24.514Z","collection":{"numFound":1,"start":0,"numFoundExact":true,"docs":[{"id":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","ead_ssi":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","_root_":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","_nest_parent_":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","ead_source_url_ssi":"data/oai/WVU/repositories_2_resources_2345.xml","aspace_url_ssi":"https://archives.lib.wvu.edu/ark:/99999/196411","title_ssm":["Waitman T. Willey Papers"],"title_tesim":["Waitman T. Willey Papers"],"unitdate_ssm":["1820-1917"],"unitdate_inclusive_ssm":["1820-1917"],"normalized_date_ssm":["1820/1917"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917"],"text":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917","A\u0026M 0003","Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","/repositories/2/resources/2345","Monongalia County (W. Va.)","United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government","United States -- Politics and government","Politics and government.","Secession","Temperance","Politicians -- United States","Statehood politics -- West Virginia","Diaries","No special access restriction applies.","Researchers may access digitized materials by requesting to view the materials in person by appointment or remotely by contacting the West Virginia \u0026 Regional History Center reference department.","Waitman Thomas Willey, West Virginia pioneer, lawyer, Methodist churchman, and United States Senator, was born October 18, 1811, at Buffalo Creek, Virginia (near Fairmont in Marion County, West Virginia), the son of William Willey, Jr., former Revolutionary War soldier under General Anthony Wayne, and Sarah Barnes, a member of a prominent family of northwestern Virginia.","Willey's first twelve years were spent at Buffalo Creek where his father's farm was a frontier homestead isolated from the few towns in the area. In 1823, the family (which now included stepmother, Mary McCormack Willey) moved to a farm on the Monongahela River in Monongalia County near present-day Rivesville. Here, Willey received a rudimentary formal education with readings from the classics and the Bible.","In 1827, Willey walked the forty miles from his home to Uniontown, Pennsylvania to attend Madison College (later Allegheny College) where he excelled in classical studies and mathematics. After three and one half years he received a B.A. degree, and then read law in the office of Philip Doddridge and John Campbell in Wellsburg, Brooke County, Virginia. He was admitted to the bar in 1833; in addition, he received an M.A. degree from Augusta College in Kentucky in 1834.","Willey settled in Morgantown, Monongalia County, Virginia, in 1832, with his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Patrick Ray, a prominent citizen of Morgantown who was Clerk of the Court and a founder of the Morgantown Female Academy (to which he gave his home). The Willey family subsequently included seven children: Mary Ellen, wife of Dr. M.L. Casselberry of Morgantown; Sarah Barnes, wife of J. Marshall Hagans, distinguished judge; William Patrick, professor of law at West Virginia University; Julia, wife of Major William McGrew, Union Army officer, West Virginia state senator, and Morgantown banker; Thomas Ray, United States government clerk in the Interior Department; Louisa, unmarried, who remained at home; and John Byrne, deputy clerk of Monongalia County.","Waitman T. Willey maintained a successful and lucrative law practice in Morgantown for 67 years. He served as Monongalia County Clerk and clerk of the Circuit Superior Court from 1841 to 1852, and was Morgantown's first Superintendent of Schools. Willey had an early interest in politics and was an active member of the conservative Whig Party: he served as an elector for the Harrison-Tyler election of 1840, was an unsuccessful Whig candidate for Congress in 1852, an unsuccessful Opposition (Whig Party) candidate for Lt. Governor of Virginia in 1859, and a delegate to the Constitutional Union Party convention which nominated Bell and Everett for President and Vice President in 1860. In 1850, Willey had been a delegate to the Virginia Constitutional Convention where he championed western Virginia interests, white manhood suffrage, and governmental reforms. Again, in 1861, he was a delegate to the Virginia Convention that voted for secession (Willey voted against it). In the subsequent, Pro-Union, reorganized legislature (the \"Restored Government of Virginia at Wheeling\"), Willey was elected to Congress to complete the term of James M. Mason for two years. While in the Senate, Willey actively introduced legislation to admit West Virginia into the Union. The Reorganized Government proposed a new state Constitution that Willey supported in Congress in 1862. Following revision of the proposal to include emancipation of slaves and a favorable referendum by the West Virginia voters, statehood was achieved in 1863.","Willey returned to the Senate in 1863 and was elected to the full six-year term in 1865. During his tenure, he initially opposed Republican lawmakers over issues involving the war, confiscation of rebel property, and slavery. But because of his \"ardent support\" of the Union, Willey's political views evolved through the years to support Republican aims, including national emancipation of slaves and disenfranchisement of disloyal citizens. He considered the latter appropriate in order to keep \"southern sympathizers\" from gaining control of West Virginia and perhaps reuniting the state with Virginia. Although Willey was aligned with conservative Republicans in the Senate, he did vote for the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Reconstruction Acts, the removal of President Johnson, and the 14th and 15th Amendments. He opposed the Freedman's Bureau and the Enforcement Acts of 1870. Many in West Virginia opposed Republican Party policies, and in 1870 the party lost control of state government. Willey left the Senate in 1871 and returned to his Morgantown law practice and the County Clerkship (1882-1890).","Willey remained active in politics throughout his later life. He served in the 1872 State Constitutional Convention and supported Republican Party policies and candidates, and was chairman of the West Virginia delegation to the GOP National Convention in 1876. He also continued his active service in the Methodist Church where he was an advocate for lay participation in the national conference and served as delegate from West Virginia in 1880. Willey was much in demand as a public speaker throughout his life -- he was called, \"old man eloquent\" -- because of his commanding appearance, \"thrilling\" voice, evident sincerity, and knowledge. He spoke frequently on Temperance, Methodist beliefs, politics, the classics, and history. He collected a large library, wrote numerous articles and a biography of Philip Doddridge. He received several honorary degrees, including LLD from Allegheny College and West Virginia University. Willey's last public appearance was at the funeral of Governor Pierpont when he gave a \"stirring\" eulogy. He was 88 years of age.","Waitman T. Willey, \"Grand Old Man of West Virginia,\" died May 2, 1900, at his home, Chancery Hill, in Morgantown. His funeral was the largest ever held in Morgantown to that time. He was interred in Oak Grove Cemetery.","Notes:\n1. In June, 1861, Willey was not present at the second convention in Wheeling at which the Reorganized Government of Virginia was established in preparation for statehood. His father and stepmother were fatally ill at the time and he was at home.","2. Willey never wrote a history of the statehood deliberations, politics, or conventions. He felt he was too biased to do justice to the history. No history was ever written by the participants.","Bibliography:\n1. Ambler, C.H.; Waitman Thomas Willey, 1954, Standard Printing and Publishing C., Huntington, W. Va.","2. Corson, L.D.; Legislative Career of Waitman T. Willey, 1942, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","3. Moore, J.T.; \"Waitman T. Willey,\" in Dictionary of American Biography, p. 426.","4. Obituary, Morgantown Weekly Post, Thursday, May 10, 1900.","5. Ware, A.F.; A Study of the Rhetoric of Waitman T. Willey in the West Virginia Statehood Movement, 1952, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","6. White, L.C.; West Virginia and Her U.S. Senators in the Impeachment of President Andrew Johnson, 1928, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","7. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Liberty and Union,\" 1854, Wheeling, J.E. Wharton, publisher. A speech.","8. Willey, Waitman T.; address delivered before the Constitutional Convention of West Virginia in the City of Wheeling, 12 February 1863.","9. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Historical Address,\" Celebration of the Municipal Centennial of Morgantown, 1885.","10. Willey, William P.; The Formation of the State of West Virginia, 1901, The News Publishing Co., Wheeling, W. Va.","Prepared by Carole B. Boyd, M.D., 2000.","1361","Papers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material.","Series include:","Series 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied, 1840–1898, boxes 1-4\nSeries 1b. Incoming Correspondence -- Non-Transcribed/Not Copied, 1833–1900, boxes 4-16\nSeries 2. Financial Records, 1837–1869, boxes 17-18\nSeries 3. Legal Papers, 1820–1856, boxes 19-20\nSeries 4. W.T. Willey's Diary, 1830–1908, boxes 21-22\nSeries 5. Miscellaneous, 1827-1917, undated, box 22 and unboxed","Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website.","Papers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material. For more information about Willey, see the Historical Note.","West Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536  / URL: West Virginia \u0026 Regional History Center","West Virginia and Regional History Center","United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)","Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, William P. (William Patrick)","English\n."],"collection_title_tesim":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917"],"collection_ssim":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917"],"level_ssm":["collection"],"level_ssim":["Collection"],"unitid_ssm":["A\u0026M 0003","Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","/repositories/2/resources/2345"],"unitid_tesim":["A\u0026M 0003","Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","/repositories/2/resources/2345"],"repository_ssm":["West Virginia and Regional History Center"],"repository_ssim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center"],"geogname_ssm":["Monongalia County (W. Va.)","United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government","United States -- Politics and government"],"geogname_ssim":["Monongalia County (W. Va.)","United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government","United States -- Politics and government"],"places_ssim":["Monongalia County (W. Va.)","United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government","United States -- Politics and government"],"creator_ssm":["Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900"],"creator_ssim":["Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900"],"creator_persname_ssim":["Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, William P. (William Patrick)"],"creator_corpname_ssim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center","United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)"],"creators_ssim":["Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, William P. (William Patrick)","West Virginia and Regional History Center","United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)"],"access_terms_ssm":["Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website."],"access_subjects_ssim":["Politics and government.","Secession","Temperance","Politicians -- United States","Statehood politics -- West Virginia","Diaries"],"access_subjects_ssm":["Politics and government.","Secession","Temperance","Politicians -- United States","Statehood politics -- West Virginia","Diaries"],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"extent_ssm":["9.2 Linear Feet Summary: 9 ft. 2 1/4 in. (22 document cases, 5 in. each); (1 oversize folder, 1/4 in.)"],"extent_tesim":["9.2 Linear Feet Summary: 9 ft. 2 1/4 in. (22 document cases, 5 in. each); (1 oversize folder, 1/4 in.)"],"genreform_ssim":["Diaries"],"date_range_isim":[1820,1821,1822,1823,1824,1825,1826,1827,1828,1829,1830,1831,1832,1833,1834,1835,1836,1837,1838,1839,1840,1841,1842,1843,1844,1845,1846,1847,1848,1849,1850,1851,1852,1853,1854,1855,1856,1857,1858,1859,1860,1861,1862,1863,1864,1865,1866,1867,1868,1869,1870,1871,1872,1873,1874,1875,1876,1877,1878,1879,1880,1881,1882,1883,1884,1885,1886,1887,1888,1889,1890,1891,1892,1893,1894,1895,1896,1897,1898,1899,1900,1901,1902,1903,1904,1905,1906,1907,1908,1909,1910,1911,1912,1913,1914,1915,1916,1917],"accessrestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eNo special access restriction applies.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eResearchers may access digitized materials by requesting to view the materials in person by appointment or remotely by contacting the \u003ca href=\"https://westvirginia.libanswers.com/wvrhc\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eWest Virginia \u0026amp; Regional History Center reference department\u003c/a\u003e. \u003c/p\u003e  "],"accessrestrict_heading_ssm":["Conditions Governing Access"],"accessrestrict_tesim":["No special access restriction applies.","Researchers may access digitized materials by requesting to view the materials in person by appointment or remotely by contacting the West Virginia \u0026 Regional History Center reference department."],"bioghist_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eWaitman Thomas Willey, West Virginia pioneer, lawyer, Methodist churchman, and United States Senator, was born October 18, 1811, at Buffalo Creek, Virginia (near Fairmont in Marion County, West Virginia), the son of William Willey, Jr., former Revolutionary War soldier under General Anthony Wayne, and Sarah Barnes, a member of a prominent family of northwestern Virginia.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWilley's first twelve years were spent at Buffalo Creek where his father's farm was a frontier homestead isolated from the few towns in the area. In 1823, the family (which now included stepmother, Mary McCormack Willey) moved to a farm on the Monongahela River in Monongalia County near present-day Rivesville. Here, Willey received a rudimentary formal education with readings from the classics and the Bible.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eIn 1827, Willey walked the forty miles from his home to Uniontown, Pennsylvania to attend Madison College (later Allegheny College) where he excelled in classical studies and mathematics. After three and one half years he received a B.A. degree, and then read law in the office of Philip Doddridge and John Campbell in Wellsburg, Brooke County, Virginia. He was admitted to the bar in 1833; in addition, he received an M.A. degree from Augusta College in Kentucky in 1834.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWilley settled in Morgantown, Monongalia County, Virginia, in 1832, with his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Patrick Ray, a prominent citizen of Morgantown who was Clerk of the Court and a founder of the Morgantown Female Academy (to which he gave his home). The Willey family subsequently included seven children: Mary Ellen, wife of Dr. M.L. Casselberry of Morgantown; Sarah Barnes, wife of J. Marshall Hagans, distinguished judge; William Patrick, professor of law at West Virginia University; Julia, wife of Major William McGrew, Union Army officer, West Virginia state senator, and Morgantown banker; Thomas Ray, United States government clerk in the Interior Department; Louisa, unmarried, who remained at home; and John Byrne, deputy clerk of Monongalia County.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWaitman T. Willey maintained a successful and lucrative law practice in Morgantown for 67 years. He served as Monongalia County Clerk and clerk of the Circuit Superior Court from 1841 to 1852, and was Morgantown's first Superintendent of Schools. Willey had an early interest in politics and was an active member of the conservative Whig Party: he served as an elector for the Harrison-Tyler election of 1840, was an unsuccessful Whig candidate for Congress in 1852, an unsuccessful Opposition (Whig Party) candidate for Lt. Governor of Virginia in 1859, and a delegate to the Constitutional Union Party convention which nominated Bell and Everett for President and Vice President in 1860. In 1850, Willey had been a delegate to the Virginia Constitutional Convention where he championed western Virginia interests, white manhood suffrage, and governmental reforms. Again, in 1861, he was a delegate to the Virginia Convention that voted for secession (Willey voted against it). In the subsequent, Pro-Union, reorganized legislature (the \"Restored Government of Virginia at Wheeling\"), Willey was elected to Congress to complete the term of James M. Mason for two years. While in the Senate, Willey actively introduced legislation to admit West Virginia into the Union. The Reorganized Government proposed a new state Constitution that Willey supported in Congress in 1862. Following revision of the proposal to include emancipation of slaves and a favorable referendum by the West Virginia voters, statehood was achieved in 1863.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWilley returned to the Senate in 1863 and was elected to the full six-year term in 1865. During his tenure, he initially opposed Republican lawmakers over issues involving the war, confiscation of rebel property, and slavery. But because of his \"ardent support\" of the Union, Willey's political views evolved through the years to support Republican aims, including national emancipation of slaves and disenfranchisement of disloyal citizens. He considered the latter appropriate in order to keep \"southern sympathizers\" from gaining control of West Virginia and perhaps reuniting the state with Virginia. Although Willey was aligned with conservative Republicans in the Senate, he did vote for the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Reconstruction Acts, the removal of President Johnson, and the 14th and 15th Amendments. He opposed the Freedman's Bureau and the Enforcement Acts of 1870. Many in West Virginia opposed Republican Party policies, and in 1870 the party lost control of state government. Willey left the Senate in 1871 and returned to his Morgantown law practice and the County Clerkship (1882-1890).\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWilley remained active in politics throughout his later life. He served in the 1872 State Constitutional Convention and supported Republican Party policies and candidates, and was chairman of the West Virginia delegation to the GOP National Convention in 1876. He also continued his active service in the Methodist Church where he was an advocate for lay participation in the national conference and served as delegate from West Virginia in 1880. Willey was much in demand as a public speaker throughout his life -- he was called, \"old man eloquent\" -- because of his commanding appearance, \"thrilling\" voice, evident sincerity, and knowledge. He spoke frequently on Temperance, Methodist beliefs, politics, the classics, and history. He collected a large library, wrote numerous articles and a biography of Philip Doddridge. He received several honorary degrees, including LLD from Allegheny College and West Virginia University. Willey's last public appearance was at the funeral of Governor Pierpont when he gave a \"stirring\" eulogy. He was 88 years of age.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWaitman T. Willey, \"Grand Old Man of West Virginia,\" died May 2, 1900, at his home, Chancery Hill, in Morgantown. His funeral was the largest ever held in Morgantown to that time. He was interred in Oak Grove Cemetery.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eNotes:\n1. In June, 1861, Willey was not present at the second convention in Wheeling at which the Reorganized Government of Virginia was established in preparation for statehood. His father and stepmother were fatally ill at the time and he was at home.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e2. Willey never wrote a history of the statehood deliberations, politics, or conventions. He felt he was too biased to do justice to the history. No history was ever written by the participants.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eBibliography:\n1. Ambler, C.H.; \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eWaitman Thomas Willey\u003c/emph\u003e, 1954, Standard Printing and Publishing C., Huntington, W. Va.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e2. Corson, L.D.; \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eLegislative Career of Waitman T. Willey\u003c/emph\u003e, 1942, master's thesis, West Virginia University.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e3. Moore, J.T.; \"Waitman T. Willey,\" in \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eDictionary of American Biography\u003c/emph\u003e, p. 426.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e4. \u003cemph render=\"italic\"\u003eObituary\u003c/emph\u003e, \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eMorgantown Weekly Post\u003c/emph\u003e, Thursday, May 10, 1900.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e5. Ware, A.F.; \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eA Study of the Rhetoric of Waitman T. Willey in the West Virginia Statehood Movement\u003c/emph\u003e, 1952, master's thesis, West Virginia University.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e6. White, L.C.; \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eWest Virginia and Her U.S. Senators in the Impeachment of President Andrew Johnson\u003c/emph\u003e, 1928, master's thesis, West Virginia University.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e7. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Liberty and Union,\" 1854, Wheeling, J.E. Wharton, publisher. A speech.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e8. Willey, Waitman T.; address delivered before the Constitutional Convention of West Virginia in the City of Wheeling, 12 February 1863.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e9. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Historical Address,\" Celebration of the Municipal Centennial of Morgantown, 1885.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e10. Willey, William P.; The Formation of the State of West Virginia, 1901, The News Publishing Co., Wheeling, W. Va.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003ePrepared by Carole B. Boyd, M.D., 2000.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"bioghist_heading_ssm":["Biographical / Historical"],"bioghist_tesim":["Waitman Thomas Willey, West Virginia pioneer, lawyer, Methodist churchman, and United States Senator, was born October 18, 1811, at Buffalo Creek, Virginia (near Fairmont in Marion County, West Virginia), the son of William Willey, Jr., former Revolutionary War soldier under General Anthony Wayne, and Sarah Barnes, a member of a prominent family of northwestern Virginia.","Willey's first twelve years were spent at Buffalo Creek where his father's farm was a frontier homestead isolated from the few towns in the area. In 1823, the family (which now included stepmother, Mary McCormack Willey) moved to a farm on the Monongahela River in Monongalia County near present-day Rivesville. Here, Willey received a rudimentary formal education with readings from the classics and the Bible.","In 1827, Willey walked the forty miles from his home to Uniontown, Pennsylvania to attend Madison College (later Allegheny College) where he excelled in classical studies and mathematics. After three and one half years he received a B.A. degree, and then read law in the office of Philip Doddridge and John Campbell in Wellsburg, Brooke County, Virginia. He was admitted to the bar in 1833; in addition, he received an M.A. degree from Augusta College in Kentucky in 1834.","Willey settled in Morgantown, Monongalia County, Virginia, in 1832, with his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Patrick Ray, a prominent citizen of Morgantown who was Clerk of the Court and a founder of the Morgantown Female Academy (to which he gave his home). The Willey family subsequently included seven children: Mary Ellen, wife of Dr. M.L. Casselberry of Morgantown; Sarah Barnes, wife of J. Marshall Hagans, distinguished judge; William Patrick, professor of law at West Virginia University; Julia, wife of Major William McGrew, Union Army officer, West Virginia state senator, and Morgantown banker; Thomas Ray, United States government clerk in the Interior Department; Louisa, unmarried, who remained at home; and John Byrne, deputy clerk of Monongalia County.","Waitman T. Willey maintained a successful and lucrative law practice in Morgantown for 67 years. He served as Monongalia County Clerk and clerk of the Circuit Superior Court from 1841 to 1852, and was Morgantown's first Superintendent of Schools. Willey had an early interest in politics and was an active member of the conservative Whig Party: he served as an elector for the Harrison-Tyler election of 1840, was an unsuccessful Whig candidate for Congress in 1852, an unsuccessful Opposition (Whig Party) candidate for Lt. Governor of Virginia in 1859, and a delegate to the Constitutional Union Party convention which nominated Bell and Everett for President and Vice President in 1860. In 1850, Willey had been a delegate to the Virginia Constitutional Convention where he championed western Virginia interests, white manhood suffrage, and governmental reforms. Again, in 1861, he was a delegate to the Virginia Convention that voted for secession (Willey voted against it). In the subsequent, Pro-Union, reorganized legislature (the \"Restored Government of Virginia at Wheeling\"), Willey was elected to Congress to complete the term of James M. Mason for two years. While in the Senate, Willey actively introduced legislation to admit West Virginia into the Union. The Reorganized Government proposed a new state Constitution that Willey supported in Congress in 1862. Following revision of the proposal to include emancipation of slaves and a favorable referendum by the West Virginia voters, statehood was achieved in 1863.","Willey returned to the Senate in 1863 and was elected to the full six-year term in 1865. During his tenure, he initially opposed Republican lawmakers over issues involving the war, confiscation of rebel property, and slavery. But because of his \"ardent support\" of the Union, Willey's political views evolved through the years to support Republican aims, including national emancipation of slaves and disenfranchisement of disloyal citizens. He considered the latter appropriate in order to keep \"southern sympathizers\" from gaining control of West Virginia and perhaps reuniting the state with Virginia. Although Willey was aligned with conservative Republicans in the Senate, he did vote for the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Reconstruction Acts, the removal of President Johnson, and the 14th and 15th Amendments. He opposed the Freedman's Bureau and the Enforcement Acts of 1870. Many in West Virginia opposed Republican Party policies, and in 1870 the party lost control of state government. Willey left the Senate in 1871 and returned to his Morgantown law practice and the County Clerkship (1882-1890).","Willey remained active in politics throughout his later life. He served in the 1872 State Constitutional Convention and supported Republican Party policies and candidates, and was chairman of the West Virginia delegation to the GOP National Convention in 1876. He also continued his active service in the Methodist Church where he was an advocate for lay participation in the national conference and served as delegate from West Virginia in 1880. Willey was much in demand as a public speaker throughout his life -- he was called, \"old man eloquent\" -- because of his commanding appearance, \"thrilling\" voice, evident sincerity, and knowledge. He spoke frequently on Temperance, Methodist beliefs, politics, the classics, and history. He collected a large library, wrote numerous articles and a biography of Philip Doddridge. He received several honorary degrees, including LLD from Allegheny College and West Virginia University. Willey's last public appearance was at the funeral of Governor Pierpont when he gave a \"stirring\" eulogy. He was 88 years of age.","Waitman T. Willey, \"Grand Old Man of West Virginia,\" died May 2, 1900, at his home, Chancery Hill, in Morgantown. His funeral was the largest ever held in Morgantown to that time. He was interred in Oak Grove Cemetery.","Notes:\n1. In June, 1861, Willey was not present at the second convention in Wheeling at which the Reorganized Government of Virginia was established in preparation for statehood. His father and stepmother were fatally ill at the time and he was at home.","2. Willey never wrote a history of the statehood deliberations, politics, or conventions. He felt he was too biased to do justice to the history. No history was ever written by the participants.","Bibliography:\n1. Ambler, C.H.; Waitman Thomas Willey, 1954, Standard Printing and Publishing C., Huntington, W. Va.","2. Corson, L.D.; Legislative Career of Waitman T. Willey, 1942, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","3. Moore, J.T.; \"Waitman T. Willey,\" in Dictionary of American Biography, p. 426.","4. Obituary, Morgantown Weekly Post, Thursday, May 10, 1900.","5. Ware, A.F.; A Study of the Rhetoric of Waitman T. Willey in the West Virginia Statehood Movement, 1952, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","6. White, L.C.; West Virginia and Her U.S. Senators in the Impeachment of President Andrew Johnson, 1928, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","7. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Liberty and Union,\" 1854, Wheeling, J.E. Wharton, publisher. A speech.","8. Willey, Waitman T.; address delivered before the Constitutional Convention of West Virginia in the City of Wheeling, 12 February 1863.","9. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Historical Address,\" Celebration of the Municipal Centennial of Morgantown, 1885.","10. Willey, William P.; The Formation of the State of West Virginia, 1901, The News Publishing Co., Wheeling, W. Va.","Prepared by Carole B. Boyd, M.D., 2000."],"prefercite_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003e[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Waitman T. Willey Papers, A\u0026amp;M 0003, West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"prefercite_tesim":["[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Waitman T. Willey Papers, A\u0026M 0003, West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia."],"relatedmaterial_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003e1361\u003c/p\u003e  "],"relatedmaterial_heading_ssm":["Related A\u0026M Collections"],"relatedmaterial_tesim":["1361"],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003ePapers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eSeries include:\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eSeries 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied, 1840–1898, boxes 1-4\nSeries 1b. Incoming Correspondence -- Non-Transcribed/Not Copied, 1833–1900, boxes 4-16\nSeries 2. Financial Records, 1837–1869, boxes 17-18\nSeries 3. Legal Papers, 1820–1856, boxes 19-20\nSeries 4. W.T. Willey's Diary, 1830–1908, boxes 21-22\nSeries 5. Miscellaneous, 1827-1917, undated, box 22 and unboxed\u003c/p\u003e  "],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Contents"],"scopecontent_tesim":["Papers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material.","Series include:","Series 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied, 1840–1898, boxes 1-4\nSeries 1b. Incoming Correspondence -- Non-Transcribed/Not Copied, 1833–1900, boxes 4-16\nSeries 2. Financial Records, 1837–1869, boxes 17-18\nSeries 3. Legal Papers, 1820–1856, boxes 19-20\nSeries 4. W.T. Willey's Diary, 1830–1908, boxes 21-22\nSeries 5. Miscellaneous, 1827-1917, undated, box 22 and unboxed"],"userestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003ePermission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the \u003ca href=\"https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu/visit/permissions-and-copyright\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ePermissions and Copyright page\u003c/a\u003e on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"userestrict_heading_ssm":["Conditions Governing Use"],"userestrict_tesim":["Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website."],"abstract_html_tesm":["\u003cabstract id=\"aspace_18cd3685d4dadbc9e748f60d929a78ab\"\u003ePapers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material. For more information about Willey, see the Historical Note.\u003c/abstract\u003e\n    "],"abstract_tesim":["Papers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material. For more information about Willey, see the Historical Note."],"physloc_html_tesm":["\u003cphysloc id=\"aspace_5cf97afe325843f43df11ef15816113b\"\u003eWest Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536  / URL: \u003ca href=\"https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu/\"\u003eWest Virginia \u0026amp; Regional History Center\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/physloc\u003e\n    "],"physloc_tesim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536  / URL: West Virginia \u0026 Regional History Center"],"corpname_ssim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center","United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)"],"names_coll_ssim":["United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Willey, William P. (William Patrick)"],"persname_ssim":["Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, William P. (William Patrick)"],"names_ssim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center","United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)","Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, William P. 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Willey Papers, 1820/1917","Series 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied [boxes 1-4], 1840/1898"],"parent_ids_ssim":["wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345_c01"],"title_filing_ssi":"Item Nos. 461-484","title_ssm":["Item Nos. 461-484"],"title_tesim":["Item Nos. 461-484"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Item Nos. 461-484, 1862/1863"],"text":["Item Nos. 461-484, 1862/1863","Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917","Series 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied [boxes 1-4], 1840/1898","Box 2","Folder 6","Topics include:","Politics: Items 461, 463-470, 472-475, 479-484 (new state, its announcement; the US government and war; a feud in the military)","Government/War: Items 462, 476-477, 481-482, 484 (death of a man on B\u0026O train, Camp Chase prisoner, redress for loss of enslaved persons to US Army, \"colored colonization\" law, citizen prisoners)","Family and Friends: Items 471-472, 476a, 478 (church activities, Morgantown news)"],"parent_unittitles_ssm":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917","Series 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied [boxes 1-4], 1840/1898"],"parent_unittitles_tesim":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917","Series 1a. 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For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website."],"date_range_isim":[1862,1863],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eTopics include:\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e Politics: Items 461, 463-470, 472-475, 479-484 (new state, its announcement; the US government and war; a feud in the military) \u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eGovernment/War: Items 462, 476-477, 481-482, 484 (death of a man on B\u0026amp;O train, Camp Chase prisoner, redress for loss of enslaved persons to US Army, \"colored colonization\" law, citizen prisoners) \u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eFamily and Friends: Items 471-472, 476a, 478 (church activities, Morgantown news)\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Contents"],"scopecontent_tesim":["Topics include:","Politics: Items 461, 463-470, 472-475, 479-484 (new state, its announcement; the US government and war; a feud in the military)","Government/War: Items 462, 476-477, 481-482, 484 (death of a man on B\u0026O train, Camp Chase prisoner, redress for loss of enslaved persons to US Army, \"colored colonization\" law, citizen prisoners)","Family and Friends: Items 471-472, 476a, 478 (church activities, Morgantown news)"],"_nest_path_":"/components#0/components#23","timestamp":"2026-09-01T16:09:24.514Z","collection":{"numFound":1,"start":0,"numFoundExact":true,"docs":[{"id":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","ead_ssi":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","_root_":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","_nest_parent_":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","ead_source_url_ssi":"data/oai/WVU/repositories_2_resources_2345.xml","aspace_url_ssi":"https://archives.lib.wvu.edu/ark:/99999/196411","title_ssm":["Waitman T. Willey Papers"],"title_tesim":["Waitman T. Willey Papers"],"unitdate_ssm":["1820-1917"],"unitdate_inclusive_ssm":["1820-1917"],"normalized_date_ssm":["1820/1917"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917"],"text":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917","A\u0026M 0003","Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","/repositories/2/resources/2345","Monongalia County (W. Va.)","United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government","United States -- Politics and government","Politics and government.","Secession","Temperance","Politicians -- United States","Statehood politics -- West Virginia","Diaries","No special access restriction applies.","Researchers may access digitized materials by requesting to view the materials in person by appointment or remotely by contacting the West Virginia \u0026 Regional History Center reference department.","Waitman Thomas Willey, West Virginia pioneer, lawyer, Methodist churchman, and United States Senator, was born October 18, 1811, at Buffalo Creek, Virginia (near Fairmont in Marion County, West Virginia), the son of William Willey, Jr., former Revolutionary War soldier under General Anthony Wayne, and Sarah Barnes, a member of a prominent family of northwestern Virginia.","Willey's first twelve years were spent at Buffalo Creek where his father's farm was a frontier homestead isolated from the few towns in the area. In 1823, the family (which now included stepmother, Mary McCormack Willey) moved to a farm on the Monongahela River in Monongalia County near present-day Rivesville. Here, Willey received a rudimentary formal education with readings from the classics and the Bible.","In 1827, Willey walked the forty miles from his home to Uniontown, Pennsylvania to attend Madison College (later Allegheny College) where he excelled in classical studies and mathematics. After three and one half years he received a B.A. degree, and then read law in the office of Philip Doddridge and John Campbell in Wellsburg, Brooke County, Virginia. He was admitted to the bar in 1833; in addition, he received an M.A. degree from Augusta College in Kentucky in 1834.","Willey settled in Morgantown, Monongalia County, Virginia, in 1832, with his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Patrick Ray, a prominent citizen of Morgantown who was Clerk of the Court and a founder of the Morgantown Female Academy (to which he gave his home). The Willey family subsequently included seven children: Mary Ellen, wife of Dr. M.L. Casselberry of Morgantown; Sarah Barnes, wife of J. Marshall Hagans, distinguished judge; William Patrick, professor of law at West Virginia University; Julia, wife of Major William McGrew, Union Army officer, West Virginia state senator, and Morgantown banker; Thomas Ray, United States government clerk in the Interior Department; Louisa, unmarried, who remained at home; and John Byrne, deputy clerk of Monongalia County.","Waitman T. Willey maintained a successful and lucrative law practice in Morgantown for 67 years. He served as Monongalia County Clerk and clerk of the Circuit Superior Court from 1841 to 1852, and was Morgantown's first Superintendent of Schools. Willey had an early interest in politics and was an active member of the conservative Whig Party: he served as an elector for the Harrison-Tyler election of 1840, was an unsuccessful Whig candidate for Congress in 1852, an unsuccessful Opposition (Whig Party) candidate for Lt. Governor of Virginia in 1859, and a delegate to the Constitutional Union Party convention which nominated Bell and Everett for President and Vice President in 1860. In 1850, Willey had been a delegate to the Virginia Constitutional Convention where he championed western Virginia interests, white manhood suffrage, and governmental reforms. Again, in 1861, he was a delegate to the Virginia Convention that voted for secession (Willey voted against it). In the subsequent, Pro-Union, reorganized legislature (the \"Restored Government of Virginia at Wheeling\"), Willey was elected to Congress to complete the term of James M. Mason for two years. While in the Senate, Willey actively introduced legislation to admit West Virginia into the Union. The Reorganized Government proposed a new state Constitution that Willey supported in Congress in 1862. Following revision of the proposal to include emancipation of slaves and a favorable referendum by the West Virginia voters, statehood was achieved in 1863.","Willey returned to the Senate in 1863 and was elected to the full six-year term in 1865. During his tenure, he initially opposed Republican lawmakers over issues involving the war, confiscation of rebel property, and slavery. But because of his \"ardent support\" of the Union, Willey's political views evolved through the years to support Republican aims, including national emancipation of slaves and disenfranchisement of disloyal citizens. He considered the latter appropriate in order to keep \"southern sympathizers\" from gaining control of West Virginia and perhaps reuniting the state with Virginia. Although Willey was aligned with conservative Republicans in the Senate, he did vote for the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Reconstruction Acts, the removal of President Johnson, and the 14th and 15th Amendments. He opposed the Freedman's Bureau and the Enforcement Acts of 1870. Many in West Virginia opposed Republican Party policies, and in 1870 the party lost control of state government. Willey left the Senate in 1871 and returned to his Morgantown law practice and the County Clerkship (1882-1890).","Willey remained active in politics throughout his later life. He served in the 1872 State Constitutional Convention and supported Republican Party policies and candidates, and was chairman of the West Virginia delegation to the GOP National Convention in 1876. He also continued his active service in the Methodist Church where he was an advocate for lay participation in the national conference and served as delegate from West Virginia in 1880. Willey was much in demand as a public speaker throughout his life -- he was called, \"old man eloquent\" -- because of his commanding appearance, \"thrilling\" voice, evident sincerity, and knowledge. He spoke frequently on Temperance, Methodist beliefs, politics, the classics, and history. He collected a large library, wrote numerous articles and a biography of Philip Doddridge. He received several honorary degrees, including LLD from Allegheny College and West Virginia University. Willey's last public appearance was at the funeral of Governor Pierpont when he gave a \"stirring\" eulogy. He was 88 years of age.","Waitman T. Willey, \"Grand Old Man of West Virginia,\" died May 2, 1900, at his home, Chancery Hill, in Morgantown. His funeral was the largest ever held in Morgantown to that time. He was interred in Oak Grove Cemetery.","Notes:\n1. In June, 1861, Willey was not present at the second convention in Wheeling at which the Reorganized Government of Virginia was established in preparation for statehood. His father and stepmother were fatally ill at the time and he was at home.","2. Willey never wrote a history of the statehood deliberations, politics, or conventions. He felt he was too biased to do justice to the history. No history was ever written by the participants.","Bibliography:\n1. Ambler, C.H.; Waitman Thomas Willey, 1954, Standard Printing and Publishing C., Huntington, W. Va.","2. Corson, L.D.; Legislative Career of Waitman T. Willey, 1942, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","3. Moore, J.T.; \"Waitman T. Willey,\" in Dictionary of American Biography, p. 426.","4. Obituary, Morgantown Weekly Post, Thursday, May 10, 1900.","5. Ware, A.F.; A Study of the Rhetoric of Waitman T. Willey in the West Virginia Statehood Movement, 1952, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","6. White, L.C.; West Virginia and Her U.S. Senators in the Impeachment of President Andrew Johnson, 1928, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","7. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Liberty and Union,\" 1854, Wheeling, J.E. Wharton, publisher. A speech.","8. Willey, Waitman T.; address delivered before the Constitutional Convention of West Virginia in the City of Wheeling, 12 February 1863.","9. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Historical Address,\" Celebration of the Municipal Centennial of Morgantown, 1885.","10. Willey, William P.; The Formation of the State of West Virginia, 1901, The News Publishing Co., Wheeling, W. Va.","Prepared by Carole B. Boyd, M.D., 2000.","1361","Papers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material.","Series include:","Series 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied, 1840–1898, boxes 1-4\nSeries 1b. Incoming Correspondence -- Non-Transcribed/Not Copied, 1833–1900, boxes 4-16\nSeries 2. Financial Records, 1837–1869, boxes 17-18\nSeries 3. Legal Papers, 1820–1856, boxes 19-20\nSeries 4. W.T. Willey's Diary, 1830–1908, boxes 21-22\nSeries 5. Miscellaneous, 1827-1917, undated, box 22 and unboxed","Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website.","Papers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material. For more information about Willey, see the Historical Note.","West Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536  / URL: West Virginia \u0026 Regional History Center","West Virginia and Regional History Center","United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)","Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, William P. (William Patrick)","English\n."],"collection_title_tesim":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917"],"collection_ssim":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917"],"level_ssm":["collection"],"level_ssim":["Collection"],"unitid_ssm":["A\u0026M 0003","Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","/repositories/2/resources/2345"],"unitid_tesim":["A\u0026M 0003","Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","/repositories/2/resources/2345"],"repository_ssm":["West Virginia and Regional History Center"],"repository_ssim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center"],"geogname_ssm":["Monongalia County (W. Va.)","United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government","United States -- Politics and government"],"geogname_ssim":["Monongalia County (W. Va.)","United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government","United States -- Politics and government"],"places_ssim":["Monongalia County (W. Va.)","United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government","United States -- Politics and government"],"creator_ssm":["Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900"],"creator_ssim":["Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900"],"creator_persname_ssim":["Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, William P. (William Patrick)"],"creator_corpname_ssim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center","United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)"],"creators_ssim":["Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, William P. (William Patrick)","West Virginia and Regional History Center","United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)"],"access_terms_ssm":["Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website."],"access_subjects_ssim":["Politics and government.","Secession","Temperance","Politicians -- United States","Statehood politics -- West Virginia","Diaries"],"access_subjects_ssm":["Politics and government.","Secession","Temperance","Politicians -- United States","Statehood politics -- West Virginia","Diaries"],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"extent_ssm":["9.2 Linear Feet Summary: 9 ft. 2 1/4 in. (22 document cases, 5 in. each); (1 oversize folder, 1/4 in.)"],"extent_tesim":["9.2 Linear Feet Summary: 9 ft. 2 1/4 in. (22 document cases, 5 in. each); (1 oversize folder, 1/4 in.)"],"genreform_ssim":["Diaries"],"date_range_isim":[1820,1821,1822,1823,1824,1825,1826,1827,1828,1829,1830,1831,1832,1833,1834,1835,1836,1837,1838,1839,1840,1841,1842,1843,1844,1845,1846,1847,1848,1849,1850,1851,1852,1853,1854,1855,1856,1857,1858,1859,1860,1861,1862,1863,1864,1865,1866,1867,1868,1869,1870,1871,1872,1873,1874,1875,1876,1877,1878,1879,1880,1881,1882,1883,1884,1885,1886,1887,1888,1889,1890,1891,1892,1893,1894,1895,1896,1897,1898,1899,1900,1901,1902,1903,1904,1905,1906,1907,1908,1909,1910,1911,1912,1913,1914,1915,1916,1917],"accessrestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eNo special access restriction applies.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eResearchers may access digitized materials by requesting to view the materials in person by appointment or remotely by contacting the \u003ca href=\"https://westvirginia.libanswers.com/wvrhc\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eWest Virginia \u0026amp; Regional History Center reference department\u003c/a\u003e. \u003c/p\u003e  "],"accessrestrict_heading_ssm":["Conditions Governing Access"],"accessrestrict_tesim":["No special access restriction applies.","Researchers may access digitized materials by requesting to view the materials in person by appointment or remotely by contacting the West Virginia \u0026 Regional History Center reference department."],"bioghist_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eWaitman Thomas Willey, West Virginia pioneer, lawyer, Methodist churchman, and United States Senator, was born October 18, 1811, at Buffalo Creek, Virginia (near Fairmont in Marion County, West Virginia), the son of William Willey, Jr., former Revolutionary War soldier under General Anthony Wayne, and Sarah Barnes, a member of a prominent family of northwestern Virginia.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWilley's first twelve years were spent at Buffalo Creek where his father's farm was a frontier homestead isolated from the few towns in the area. In 1823, the family (which now included stepmother, Mary McCormack Willey) moved to a farm on the Monongahela River in Monongalia County near present-day Rivesville. Here, Willey received a rudimentary formal education with readings from the classics and the Bible.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eIn 1827, Willey walked the forty miles from his home to Uniontown, Pennsylvania to attend Madison College (later Allegheny College) where he excelled in classical studies and mathematics. After three and one half years he received a B.A. degree, and then read law in the office of Philip Doddridge and John Campbell in Wellsburg, Brooke County, Virginia. He was admitted to the bar in 1833; in addition, he received an M.A. degree from Augusta College in Kentucky in 1834.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWilley settled in Morgantown, Monongalia County, Virginia, in 1832, with his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Patrick Ray, a prominent citizen of Morgantown who was Clerk of the Court and a founder of the Morgantown Female Academy (to which he gave his home). The Willey family subsequently included seven children: Mary Ellen, wife of Dr. M.L. Casselberry of Morgantown; Sarah Barnes, wife of J. Marshall Hagans, distinguished judge; William Patrick, professor of law at West Virginia University; Julia, wife of Major William McGrew, Union Army officer, West Virginia state senator, and Morgantown banker; Thomas Ray, United States government clerk in the Interior Department; Louisa, unmarried, who remained at home; and John Byrne, deputy clerk of Monongalia County.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWaitman T. Willey maintained a successful and lucrative law practice in Morgantown for 67 years. He served as Monongalia County Clerk and clerk of the Circuit Superior Court from 1841 to 1852, and was Morgantown's first Superintendent of Schools. Willey had an early interest in politics and was an active member of the conservative Whig Party: he served as an elector for the Harrison-Tyler election of 1840, was an unsuccessful Whig candidate for Congress in 1852, an unsuccessful Opposition (Whig Party) candidate for Lt. Governor of Virginia in 1859, and a delegate to the Constitutional Union Party convention which nominated Bell and Everett for President and Vice President in 1860. In 1850, Willey had been a delegate to the Virginia Constitutional Convention where he championed western Virginia interests, white manhood suffrage, and governmental reforms. Again, in 1861, he was a delegate to the Virginia Convention that voted for secession (Willey voted against it). In the subsequent, Pro-Union, reorganized legislature (the \"Restored Government of Virginia at Wheeling\"), Willey was elected to Congress to complete the term of James M. Mason for two years. While in the Senate, Willey actively introduced legislation to admit West Virginia into the Union. The Reorganized Government proposed a new state Constitution that Willey supported in Congress in 1862. Following revision of the proposal to include emancipation of slaves and a favorable referendum by the West Virginia voters, statehood was achieved in 1863.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWilley returned to the Senate in 1863 and was elected to the full six-year term in 1865. During his tenure, he initially opposed Republican lawmakers over issues involving the war, confiscation of rebel property, and slavery. But because of his \"ardent support\" of the Union, Willey's political views evolved through the years to support Republican aims, including national emancipation of slaves and disenfranchisement of disloyal citizens. He considered the latter appropriate in order to keep \"southern sympathizers\" from gaining control of West Virginia and perhaps reuniting the state with Virginia. Although Willey was aligned with conservative Republicans in the Senate, he did vote for the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Reconstruction Acts, the removal of President Johnson, and the 14th and 15th Amendments. He opposed the Freedman's Bureau and the Enforcement Acts of 1870. Many in West Virginia opposed Republican Party policies, and in 1870 the party lost control of state government. Willey left the Senate in 1871 and returned to his Morgantown law practice and the County Clerkship (1882-1890).\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWilley remained active in politics throughout his later life. He served in the 1872 State Constitutional Convention and supported Republican Party policies and candidates, and was chairman of the West Virginia delegation to the GOP National Convention in 1876. He also continued his active service in the Methodist Church where he was an advocate for lay participation in the national conference and served as delegate from West Virginia in 1880. Willey was much in demand as a public speaker throughout his life -- he was called, \"old man eloquent\" -- because of his commanding appearance, \"thrilling\" voice, evident sincerity, and knowledge. He spoke frequently on Temperance, Methodist beliefs, politics, the classics, and history. He collected a large library, wrote numerous articles and a biography of Philip Doddridge. He received several honorary degrees, including LLD from Allegheny College and West Virginia University. Willey's last public appearance was at the funeral of Governor Pierpont when he gave a \"stirring\" eulogy. He was 88 years of age.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWaitman T. Willey, \"Grand Old Man of West Virginia,\" died May 2, 1900, at his home, Chancery Hill, in Morgantown. His funeral was the largest ever held in Morgantown to that time. He was interred in Oak Grove Cemetery.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eNotes:\n1. In June, 1861, Willey was not present at the second convention in Wheeling at which the Reorganized Government of Virginia was established in preparation for statehood. His father and stepmother were fatally ill at the time and he was at home.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e2. Willey never wrote a history of the statehood deliberations, politics, or conventions. He felt he was too biased to do justice to the history. No history was ever written by the participants.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eBibliography:\n1. Ambler, C.H.; \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eWaitman Thomas Willey\u003c/emph\u003e, 1954, Standard Printing and Publishing C., Huntington, W. Va.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e2. Corson, L.D.; \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eLegislative Career of Waitman T. Willey\u003c/emph\u003e, 1942, master's thesis, West Virginia University.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e3. Moore, J.T.; \"Waitman T. Willey,\" in \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eDictionary of American Biography\u003c/emph\u003e, p. 426.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e4. \u003cemph render=\"italic\"\u003eObituary\u003c/emph\u003e, \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eMorgantown Weekly Post\u003c/emph\u003e, Thursday, May 10, 1900.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e5. Ware, A.F.; \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eA Study of the Rhetoric of Waitman T. Willey in the West Virginia Statehood Movement\u003c/emph\u003e, 1952, master's thesis, West Virginia University.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e6. White, L.C.; \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eWest Virginia and Her U.S. Senators in the Impeachment of President Andrew Johnson\u003c/emph\u003e, 1928, master's thesis, West Virginia University.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e7. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Liberty and Union,\" 1854, Wheeling, J.E. Wharton, publisher. A speech.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e8. Willey, Waitman T.; address delivered before the Constitutional Convention of West Virginia in the City of Wheeling, 12 February 1863.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e9. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Historical Address,\" Celebration of the Municipal Centennial of Morgantown, 1885.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e10. Willey, William P.; The Formation of the State of West Virginia, 1901, The News Publishing Co., Wheeling, W. Va.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003ePrepared by Carole B. Boyd, M.D., 2000.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"bioghist_heading_ssm":["Biographical / Historical"],"bioghist_tesim":["Waitman Thomas Willey, West Virginia pioneer, lawyer, Methodist churchman, and United States Senator, was born October 18, 1811, at Buffalo Creek, Virginia (near Fairmont in Marion County, West Virginia), the son of William Willey, Jr., former Revolutionary War soldier under General Anthony Wayne, and Sarah Barnes, a member of a prominent family of northwestern Virginia.","Willey's first twelve years were spent at Buffalo Creek where his father's farm was a frontier homestead isolated from the few towns in the area. In 1823, the family (which now included stepmother, Mary McCormack Willey) moved to a farm on the Monongahela River in Monongalia County near present-day Rivesville. Here, Willey received a rudimentary formal education with readings from the classics and the Bible.","In 1827, Willey walked the forty miles from his home to Uniontown, Pennsylvania to attend Madison College (later Allegheny College) where he excelled in classical studies and mathematics. After three and one half years he received a B.A. degree, and then read law in the office of Philip Doddridge and John Campbell in Wellsburg, Brooke County, Virginia. He was admitted to the bar in 1833; in addition, he received an M.A. degree from Augusta College in Kentucky in 1834.","Willey settled in Morgantown, Monongalia County, Virginia, in 1832, with his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Patrick Ray, a prominent citizen of Morgantown who was Clerk of the Court and a founder of the Morgantown Female Academy (to which he gave his home). The Willey family subsequently included seven children: Mary Ellen, wife of Dr. M.L. Casselberry of Morgantown; Sarah Barnes, wife of J. Marshall Hagans, distinguished judge; William Patrick, professor of law at West Virginia University; Julia, wife of Major William McGrew, Union Army officer, West Virginia state senator, and Morgantown banker; Thomas Ray, United States government clerk in the Interior Department; Louisa, unmarried, who remained at home; and John Byrne, deputy clerk of Monongalia County.","Waitman T. Willey maintained a successful and lucrative law practice in Morgantown for 67 years. He served as Monongalia County Clerk and clerk of the Circuit Superior Court from 1841 to 1852, and was Morgantown's first Superintendent of Schools. Willey had an early interest in politics and was an active member of the conservative Whig Party: he served as an elector for the Harrison-Tyler election of 1840, was an unsuccessful Whig candidate for Congress in 1852, an unsuccessful Opposition (Whig Party) candidate for Lt. Governor of Virginia in 1859, and a delegate to the Constitutional Union Party convention which nominated Bell and Everett for President and Vice President in 1860. In 1850, Willey had been a delegate to the Virginia Constitutional Convention where he championed western Virginia interests, white manhood suffrage, and governmental reforms. Again, in 1861, he was a delegate to the Virginia Convention that voted for secession (Willey voted against it). In the subsequent, Pro-Union, reorganized legislature (the \"Restored Government of Virginia at Wheeling\"), Willey was elected to Congress to complete the term of James M. Mason for two years. While in the Senate, Willey actively introduced legislation to admit West Virginia into the Union. The Reorganized Government proposed a new state Constitution that Willey supported in Congress in 1862. Following revision of the proposal to include emancipation of slaves and a favorable referendum by the West Virginia voters, statehood was achieved in 1863.","Willey returned to the Senate in 1863 and was elected to the full six-year term in 1865. During his tenure, he initially opposed Republican lawmakers over issues involving the war, confiscation of rebel property, and slavery. But because of his \"ardent support\" of the Union, Willey's political views evolved through the years to support Republican aims, including national emancipation of slaves and disenfranchisement of disloyal citizens. He considered the latter appropriate in order to keep \"southern sympathizers\" from gaining control of West Virginia and perhaps reuniting the state with Virginia. Although Willey was aligned with conservative Republicans in the Senate, he did vote for the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Reconstruction Acts, the removal of President Johnson, and the 14th and 15th Amendments. He opposed the Freedman's Bureau and the Enforcement Acts of 1870. Many in West Virginia opposed Republican Party policies, and in 1870 the party lost control of state government. Willey left the Senate in 1871 and returned to his Morgantown law practice and the County Clerkship (1882-1890).","Willey remained active in politics throughout his later life. He served in the 1872 State Constitutional Convention and supported Republican Party policies and candidates, and was chairman of the West Virginia delegation to the GOP National Convention in 1876. He also continued his active service in the Methodist Church where he was an advocate for lay participation in the national conference and served as delegate from West Virginia in 1880. Willey was much in demand as a public speaker throughout his life -- he was called, \"old man eloquent\" -- because of his commanding appearance, \"thrilling\" voice, evident sincerity, and knowledge. He spoke frequently on Temperance, Methodist beliefs, politics, the classics, and history. He collected a large library, wrote numerous articles and a biography of Philip Doddridge. He received several honorary degrees, including LLD from Allegheny College and West Virginia University. Willey's last public appearance was at the funeral of Governor Pierpont when he gave a \"stirring\" eulogy. He was 88 years of age.","Waitman T. Willey, \"Grand Old Man of West Virginia,\" died May 2, 1900, at his home, Chancery Hill, in Morgantown. His funeral was the largest ever held in Morgantown to that time. He was interred in Oak Grove Cemetery.","Notes:\n1. In June, 1861, Willey was not present at the second convention in Wheeling at which the Reorganized Government of Virginia was established in preparation for statehood. His father and stepmother were fatally ill at the time and he was at home.","2. Willey never wrote a history of the statehood deliberations, politics, or conventions. He felt he was too biased to do justice to the history. No history was ever written by the participants.","Bibliography:\n1. Ambler, C.H.; Waitman Thomas Willey, 1954, Standard Printing and Publishing C., Huntington, W. Va.","2. Corson, L.D.; Legislative Career of Waitman T. Willey, 1942, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","3. Moore, J.T.; \"Waitman T. Willey,\" in Dictionary of American Biography, p. 426.","4. Obituary, Morgantown Weekly Post, Thursday, May 10, 1900.","5. Ware, A.F.; A Study of the Rhetoric of Waitman T. Willey in the West Virginia Statehood Movement, 1952, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","6. White, L.C.; West Virginia and Her U.S. Senators in the Impeachment of President Andrew Johnson, 1928, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","7. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Liberty and Union,\" 1854, Wheeling, J.E. Wharton, publisher. A speech.","8. Willey, Waitman T.; address delivered before the Constitutional Convention of West Virginia in the City of Wheeling, 12 February 1863.","9. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Historical Address,\" Celebration of the Municipal Centennial of Morgantown, 1885.","10. Willey, William P.; The Formation of the State of West Virginia, 1901, The News Publishing Co., Wheeling, W. Va.","Prepared by Carole B. Boyd, M.D., 2000."],"prefercite_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003e[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Waitman T. Willey Papers, A\u0026amp;M 0003, West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"prefercite_tesim":["[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Waitman T. Willey Papers, A\u0026M 0003, West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia."],"relatedmaterial_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003e1361\u003c/p\u003e  "],"relatedmaterial_heading_ssm":["Related A\u0026M Collections"],"relatedmaterial_tesim":["1361"],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003ePapers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eSeries include:\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eSeries 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied, 1840–1898, boxes 1-4\nSeries 1b. Incoming Correspondence -- Non-Transcribed/Not Copied, 1833–1900, boxes 4-16\nSeries 2. Financial Records, 1837–1869, boxes 17-18\nSeries 3. Legal Papers, 1820–1856, boxes 19-20\nSeries 4. W.T. Willey's Diary, 1830–1908, boxes 21-22\nSeries 5. Miscellaneous, 1827-1917, undated, box 22 and unboxed\u003c/p\u003e  "],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Contents"],"scopecontent_tesim":["Papers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material.","Series include:","Series 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied, 1840–1898, boxes 1-4\nSeries 1b. Incoming Correspondence -- Non-Transcribed/Not Copied, 1833–1900, boxes 4-16\nSeries 2. Financial Records, 1837–1869, boxes 17-18\nSeries 3. Legal Papers, 1820–1856, boxes 19-20\nSeries 4. W.T. Willey's Diary, 1830–1908, boxes 21-22\nSeries 5. Miscellaneous, 1827-1917, undated, box 22 and unboxed"],"userestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003ePermission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the \u003ca href=\"https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu/visit/permissions-and-copyright\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ePermissions and Copyright page\u003c/a\u003e on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"userestrict_heading_ssm":["Conditions Governing Use"],"userestrict_tesim":["Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website."],"abstract_html_tesm":["\u003cabstract id=\"aspace_18cd3685d4dadbc9e748f60d929a78ab\"\u003ePapers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material. For more information about Willey, see the Historical Note.\u003c/abstract\u003e\n    "],"abstract_tesim":["Papers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material. For more information about Willey, see the Historical Note."],"physloc_html_tesm":["\u003cphysloc id=\"aspace_5cf97afe325843f43df11ef15816113b\"\u003eWest Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536  / URL: \u003ca href=\"https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu/\"\u003eWest Virginia \u0026amp; Regional History Center\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/physloc\u003e\n    "],"physloc_tesim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536  / URL: West Virginia \u0026 Regional History Center"],"corpname_ssim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center","United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)"],"names_coll_ssim":["United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Willey, William P. (William Patrick)"],"persname_ssim":["Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, William P. (William Patrick)"],"names_ssim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center","United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)","Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, William P. (William Patrick)"],"language_ssim":["English\n."],"descrules_ssm":["Describing Archives: A Content Standard"],"total_component_count_is":121,"online_item_count_is":0,"component_level_isim":[0],"sort_isi":0,"timestamp":"2026-09-01T16:09:24.514Z"}]}},"label":"Breadcrumbs"}}},"links":{"self":"https://arvasarchive.org/catalog/wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345_c01_c24"}},{"id":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345_c02_c13","type":"File","attributes":{"title":"Item Nos. 4805-5344, 1866/1868","abstract_or_scope":{"id":"https://arvasarchive.org/catalog/wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345_c02_c13#abstract_or_scope","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":"\u003cp\u003eTopics include:\u003c/p\u003e","label":"Abstract Or Scope"}},"breadcrumbs":{"id":"https://arvasarchive.org/catalog/wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345_c02_c13#breadcrumbs","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":{"ref_ssi":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345_c02_c13","ref_ssm":["wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345_c02_c13"],"id":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345_c02_c13","ead_ssi":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","_root_":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","_nest_parent_":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345_c02","parent_ssi":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345_c02","parent_ssim":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917","Series 1b. Incoming Correspondence -- Non-Transcribed/Not Copied [boxes 4-16], 1833/1900"],"parent_ids_ssim":["wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345_c02"],"title_filing_ssi":"Item Nos. 4805-5344","title_ssm":["Item Nos. 4805-5344"],"title_tesim":["Item Nos. 4805-5344"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Item Nos. 4805-5344, 1866/1868"],"text":["Item Nos. 4805-5344, 1866/1868","Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917","Series 1b. Incoming Correspondence -- Non-Transcribed/Not Copied [boxes 4-16], 1833/1900","Box 13","Topics include:","Family and Friends","Politics","Other Topics (folder 3 -- President Andrew Johnson's appointments, and state jobs disputed between \"loyal\" citizens and \"rebels;\" folder 23 -- letter regarding enslaved persons and voting; folder 25 -- a person's claim for war work; folder 27 -- \"impeachment trial\" mentioned)"],"parent_unittitles_ssm":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917","Series 1b. Incoming Correspondence -- Non-Transcribed/Not Copied [boxes 4-16], 1833/1900"],"parent_unittitles_tesim":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917","Series 1b. Incoming Correspondence -- Non-Transcribed/Not Copied [boxes 4-16], 1833/1900"],"normalized_date_ssm":["1866/1868"],"unitdate_inclusive_ssm":["1866–1868"],"level_ssm":["File"],"level_ssim":["File"],"component_level_isim":[2],"sort_isi":74,"repository_ssim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center"],"collection_ssim":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917"],"containers_ssim":["Box 13"],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"child_component_count_isi":0,"parent_access_restrict_tesm":["No special access restriction applies.","Researchers may access digitized materials by requesting to view the materials in person by appointment or remotely by contacting the West Virginia \u0026 Regional History Center reference department."],"parent_access_terms_tesm":["Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website."],"date_range_isim":[1866,1867,1868],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eTopics include:\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e Family and Friends\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003ePolitics\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eOther Topics (folder 3 -- President Andrew Johnson's appointments, and state jobs disputed between \"loyal\" citizens and \"rebels;\" folder 23 -- letter regarding enslaved persons and voting; folder 25 -- a person's claim for war work; folder 27 -- \"impeachment trial\" mentioned)\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Contents"],"scopecontent_tesim":["Topics include:","Family and Friends","Politics","Other Topics (folder 3 -- President Andrew Johnson's appointments, and state jobs disputed between \"loyal\" citizens and \"rebels;\" folder 23 -- letter regarding enslaved persons and voting; folder 25 -- a person's claim for war work; folder 27 -- \"impeachment trial\" mentioned)"],"_nest_path_":"/components#1/components#12","timestamp":"2026-09-01T16:09:24.514Z","collection":{"numFound":1,"start":0,"numFoundExact":true,"docs":[{"id":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","ead_ssi":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","_root_":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","_nest_parent_":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","ead_source_url_ssi":"data/oai/WVU/repositories_2_resources_2345.xml","aspace_url_ssi":"https://archives.lib.wvu.edu/ark:/99999/196411","title_ssm":["Waitman T. Willey Papers"],"title_tesim":["Waitman T. Willey Papers"],"unitdate_ssm":["1820-1917"],"unitdate_inclusive_ssm":["1820-1917"],"normalized_date_ssm":["1820/1917"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917"],"text":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917","A\u0026M 0003","Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","/repositories/2/resources/2345","Monongalia County (W. Va.)","United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government","United States -- Politics and government","Politics and government.","Secession","Temperance","Politicians -- United States","Statehood politics -- West Virginia","Diaries","No special access restriction applies.","Researchers may access digitized materials by requesting to view the materials in person by appointment or remotely by contacting the West Virginia \u0026 Regional History Center reference department.","Waitman Thomas Willey, West Virginia pioneer, lawyer, Methodist churchman, and United States Senator, was born October 18, 1811, at Buffalo Creek, Virginia (near Fairmont in Marion County, West Virginia), the son of William Willey, Jr., former Revolutionary War soldier under General Anthony Wayne, and Sarah Barnes, a member of a prominent family of northwestern Virginia.","Willey's first twelve years were spent at Buffalo Creek where his father's farm was a frontier homestead isolated from the few towns in the area. In 1823, the family (which now included stepmother, Mary McCormack Willey) moved to a farm on the Monongahela River in Monongalia County near present-day Rivesville. Here, Willey received a rudimentary formal education with readings from the classics and the Bible.","In 1827, Willey walked the forty miles from his home to Uniontown, Pennsylvania to attend Madison College (later Allegheny College) where he excelled in classical studies and mathematics. After three and one half years he received a B.A. degree, and then read law in the office of Philip Doddridge and John Campbell in Wellsburg, Brooke County, Virginia. He was admitted to the bar in 1833; in addition, he received an M.A. degree from Augusta College in Kentucky in 1834.","Willey settled in Morgantown, Monongalia County, Virginia, in 1832, with his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Patrick Ray, a prominent citizen of Morgantown who was Clerk of the Court and a founder of the Morgantown Female Academy (to which he gave his home). The Willey family subsequently included seven children: Mary Ellen, wife of Dr. M.L. Casselberry of Morgantown; Sarah Barnes, wife of J. Marshall Hagans, distinguished judge; William Patrick, professor of law at West Virginia University; Julia, wife of Major William McGrew, Union Army officer, West Virginia state senator, and Morgantown banker; Thomas Ray, United States government clerk in the Interior Department; Louisa, unmarried, who remained at home; and John Byrne, deputy clerk of Monongalia County.","Waitman T. Willey maintained a successful and lucrative law practice in Morgantown for 67 years. He served as Monongalia County Clerk and clerk of the Circuit Superior Court from 1841 to 1852, and was Morgantown's first Superintendent of Schools. Willey had an early interest in politics and was an active member of the conservative Whig Party: he served as an elector for the Harrison-Tyler election of 1840, was an unsuccessful Whig candidate for Congress in 1852, an unsuccessful Opposition (Whig Party) candidate for Lt. Governor of Virginia in 1859, and a delegate to the Constitutional Union Party convention which nominated Bell and Everett for President and Vice President in 1860. In 1850, Willey had been a delegate to the Virginia Constitutional Convention where he championed western Virginia interests, white manhood suffrage, and governmental reforms. Again, in 1861, he was a delegate to the Virginia Convention that voted for secession (Willey voted against it). In the subsequent, Pro-Union, reorganized legislature (the \"Restored Government of Virginia at Wheeling\"), Willey was elected to Congress to complete the term of James M. Mason for two years. While in the Senate, Willey actively introduced legislation to admit West Virginia into the Union. The Reorganized Government proposed a new state Constitution that Willey supported in Congress in 1862. Following revision of the proposal to include emancipation of slaves and a favorable referendum by the West Virginia voters, statehood was achieved in 1863.","Willey returned to the Senate in 1863 and was elected to the full six-year term in 1865. During his tenure, he initially opposed Republican lawmakers over issues involving the war, confiscation of rebel property, and slavery. But because of his \"ardent support\" of the Union, Willey's political views evolved through the years to support Republican aims, including national emancipation of slaves and disenfranchisement of disloyal citizens. He considered the latter appropriate in order to keep \"southern sympathizers\" from gaining control of West Virginia and perhaps reuniting the state with Virginia. Although Willey was aligned with conservative Republicans in the Senate, he did vote for the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Reconstruction Acts, the removal of President Johnson, and the 14th and 15th Amendments. He opposed the Freedman's Bureau and the Enforcement Acts of 1870. Many in West Virginia opposed Republican Party policies, and in 1870 the party lost control of state government. Willey left the Senate in 1871 and returned to his Morgantown law practice and the County Clerkship (1882-1890).","Willey remained active in politics throughout his later life. He served in the 1872 State Constitutional Convention and supported Republican Party policies and candidates, and was chairman of the West Virginia delegation to the GOP National Convention in 1876. He also continued his active service in the Methodist Church where he was an advocate for lay participation in the national conference and served as delegate from West Virginia in 1880. Willey was much in demand as a public speaker throughout his life -- he was called, \"old man eloquent\" -- because of his commanding appearance, \"thrilling\" voice, evident sincerity, and knowledge. He spoke frequently on Temperance, Methodist beliefs, politics, the classics, and history. He collected a large library, wrote numerous articles and a biography of Philip Doddridge. He received several honorary degrees, including LLD from Allegheny College and West Virginia University. Willey's last public appearance was at the funeral of Governor Pierpont when he gave a \"stirring\" eulogy. He was 88 years of age.","Waitman T. Willey, \"Grand Old Man of West Virginia,\" died May 2, 1900, at his home, Chancery Hill, in Morgantown. His funeral was the largest ever held in Morgantown to that time. He was interred in Oak Grove Cemetery.","Notes:\n1. In June, 1861, Willey was not present at the second convention in Wheeling at which the Reorganized Government of Virginia was established in preparation for statehood. His father and stepmother were fatally ill at the time and he was at home.","2. Willey never wrote a history of the statehood deliberations, politics, or conventions. He felt he was too biased to do justice to the history. No history was ever written by the participants.","Bibliography:\n1. Ambler, C.H.; Waitman Thomas Willey, 1954, Standard Printing and Publishing C., Huntington, W. Va.","2. Corson, L.D.; Legislative Career of Waitman T. Willey, 1942, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","3. Moore, J.T.; \"Waitman T. Willey,\" in Dictionary of American Biography, p. 426.","4. Obituary, Morgantown Weekly Post, Thursday, May 10, 1900.","5. Ware, A.F.; A Study of the Rhetoric of Waitman T. Willey in the West Virginia Statehood Movement, 1952, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","6. White, L.C.; West Virginia and Her U.S. Senators in the Impeachment of President Andrew Johnson, 1928, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","7. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Liberty and Union,\" 1854, Wheeling, J.E. Wharton, publisher. A speech.","8. Willey, Waitman T.; address delivered before the Constitutional Convention of West Virginia in the City of Wheeling, 12 February 1863.","9. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Historical Address,\" Celebration of the Municipal Centennial of Morgantown, 1885.","10. Willey, William P.; The Formation of the State of West Virginia, 1901, The News Publishing Co., Wheeling, W. Va.","Prepared by Carole B. Boyd, M.D., 2000.","1361","Papers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material.","Series include:","Series 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied, 1840–1898, boxes 1-4\nSeries 1b. Incoming Correspondence -- Non-Transcribed/Not Copied, 1833–1900, boxes 4-16\nSeries 2. Financial Records, 1837–1869, boxes 17-18\nSeries 3. Legal Papers, 1820–1856, boxes 19-20\nSeries 4. W.T. Willey's Diary, 1830–1908, boxes 21-22\nSeries 5. Miscellaneous, 1827-1917, undated, box 22 and unboxed","Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website.","Papers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material. For more information about Willey, see the Historical Note.","West Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536  / URL: West Virginia \u0026 Regional History Center","West Virginia and Regional History Center","United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)","Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, William P. (William Patrick)","English\n."],"collection_title_tesim":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917"],"collection_ssim":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917"],"level_ssm":["collection"],"level_ssim":["Collection"],"unitid_ssm":["A\u0026M 0003","Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","/repositories/2/resources/2345"],"unitid_tesim":["A\u0026M 0003","Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","/repositories/2/resources/2345"],"repository_ssm":["West Virginia and Regional History Center"],"repository_ssim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center"],"geogname_ssm":["Monongalia County (W. Va.)","United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government","United States -- Politics and government"],"geogname_ssim":["Monongalia County (W. Va.)","United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government","United States -- Politics and government"],"places_ssim":["Monongalia County (W. Va.)","United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government","United States -- Politics and government"],"creator_ssm":["Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900"],"creator_ssim":["Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900"],"creator_persname_ssim":["Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, William P. (William Patrick)"],"creator_corpname_ssim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center","United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)"],"creators_ssim":["Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, William P. (William Patrick)","West Virginia and Regional History Center","United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)"],"access_terms_ssm":["Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website."],"access_subjects_ssim":["Politics and government.","Secession","Temperance","Politicians -- United States","Statehood politics -- West Virginia","Diaries"],"access_subjects_ssm":["Politics and government.","Secession","Temperance","Politicians -- United States","Statehood politics -- West Virginia","Diaries"],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"extent_ssm":["9.2 Linear Feet Summary: 9 ft. 2 1/4 in. (22 document cases, 5 in. each); (1 oversize folder, 1/4 in.)"],"extent_tesim":["9.2 Linear Feet Summary: 9 ft. 2 1/4 in. (22 document cases, 5 in. each); (1 oversize folder, 1/4 in.)"],"genreform_ssim":["Diaries"],"date_range_isim":[1820,1821,1822,1823,1824,1825,1826,1827,1828,1829,1830,1831,1832,1833,1834,1835,1836,1837,1838,1839,1840,1841,1842,1843,1844,1845,1846,1847,1848,1849,1850,1851,1852,1853,1854,1855,1856,1857,1858,1859,1860,1861,1862,1863,1864,1865,1866,1867,1868,1869,1870,1871,1872,1873,1874,1875,1876,1877,1878,1879,1880,1881,1882,1883,1884,1885,1886,1887,1888,1889,1890,1891,1892,1893,1894,1895,1896,1897,1898,1899,1900,1901,1902,1903,1904,1905,1906,1907,1908,1909,1910,1911,1912,1913,1914,1915,1916,1917],"accessrestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eNo special access restriction applies.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eResearchers may access digitized materials by requesting to view the materials in person by appointment or remotely by contacting the \u003ca href=\"https://westvirginia.libanswers.com/wvrhc\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eWest Virginia \u0026amp; Regional History Center reference department\u003c/a\u003e. \u003c/p\u003e  "],"accessrestrict_heading_ssm":["Conditions Governing Access"],"accessrestrict_tesim":["No special access restriction applies.","Researchers may access digitized materials by requesting to view the materials in person by appointment or remotely by contacting the West Virginia \u0026 Regional History Center reference department."],"bioghist_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eWaitman Thomas Willey, West Virginia pioneer, lawyer, Methodist churchman, and United States Senator, was born October 18, 1811, at Buffalo Creek, Virginia (near Fairmont in Marion County, West Virginia), the son of William Willey, Jr., former Revolutionary War soldier under General Anthony Wayne, and Sarah Barnes, a member of a prominent family of northwestern Virginia.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWilley's first twelve years were spent at Buffalo Creek where his father's farm was a frontier homestead isolated from the few towns in the area. In 1823, the family (which now included stepmother, Mary McCormack Willey) moved to a farm on the Monongahela River in Monongalia County near present-day Rivesville. Here, Willey received a rudimentary formal education with readings from the classics and the Bible.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eIn 1827, Willey walked the forty miles from his home to Uniontown, Pennsylvania to attend Madison College (later Allegheny College) where he excelled in classical studies and mathematics. After three and one half years he received a B.A. degree, and then read law in the office of Philip Doddridge and John Campbell in Wellsburg, Brooke County, Virginia. He was admitted to the bar in 1833; in addition, he received an M.A. degree from Augusta College in Kentucky in 1834.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWilley settled in Morgantown, Monongalia County, Virginia, in 1832, with his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Patrick Ray, a prominent citizen of Morgantown who was Clerk of the Court and a founder of the Morgantown Female Academy (to which he gave his home). The Willey family subsequently included seven children: Mary Ellen, wife of Dr. M.L. Casselberry of Morgantown; Sarah Barnes, wife of J. Marshall Hagans, distinguished judge; William Patrick, professor of law at West Virginia University; Julia, wife of Major William McGrew, Union Army officer, West Virginia state senator, and Morgantown banker; Thomas Ray, United States government clerk in the Interior Department; Louisa, unmarried, who remained at home; and John Byrne, deputy clerk of Monongalia County.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWaitman T. Willey maintained a successful and lucrative law practice in Morgantown for 67 years. He served as Monongalia County Clerk and clerk of the Circuit Superior Court from 1841 to 1852, and was Morgantown's first Superintendent of Schools. Willey had an early interest in politics and was an active member of the conservative Whig Party: he served as an elector for the Harrison-Tyler election of 1840, was an unsuccessful Whig candidate for Congress in 1852, an unsuccessful Opposition (Whig Party) candidate for Lt. Governor of Virginia in 1859, and a delegate to the Constitutional Union Party convention which nominated Bell and Everett for President and Vice President in 1860. In 1850, Willey had been a delegate to the Virginia Constitutional Convention where he championed western Virginia interests, white manhood suffrage, and governmental reforms. Again, in 1861, he was a delegate to the Virginia Convention that voted for secession (Willey voted against it). In the subsequent, Pro-Union, reorganized legislature (the \"Restored Government of Virginia at Wheeling\"), Willey was elected to Congress to complete the term of James M. Mason for two years. While in the Senate, Willey actively introduced legislation to admit West Virginia into the Union. The Reorganized Government proposed a new state Constitution that Willey supported in Congress in 1862. Following revision of the proposal to include emancipation of slaves and a favorable referendum by the West Virginia voters, statehood was achieved in 1863.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWilley returned to the Senate in 1863 and was elected to the full six-year term in 1865. During his tenure, he initially opposed Republican lawmakers over issues involving the war, confiscation of rebel property, and slavery. But because of his \"ardent support\" of the Union, Willey's political views evolved through the years to support Republican aims, including national emancipation of slaves and disenfranchisement of disloyal citizens. He considered the latter appropriate in order to keep \"southern sympathizers\" from gaining control of West Virginia and perhaps reuniting the state with Virginia. Although Willey was aligned with conservative Republicans in the Senate, he did vote for the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Reconstruction Acts, the removal of President Johnson, and the 14th and 15th Amendments. He opposed the Freedman's Bureau and the Enforcement Acts of 1870. Many in West Virginia opposed Republican Party policies, and in 1870 the party lost control of state government. Willey left the Senate in 1871 and returned to his Morgantown law practice and the County Clerkship (1882-1890).\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWilley remained active in politics throughout his later life. He served in the 1872 State Constitutional Convention and supported Republican Party policies and candidates, and was chairman of the West Virginia delegation to the GOP National Convention in 1876. He also continued his active service in the Methodist Church where he was an advocate for lay participation in the national conference and served as delegate from West Virginia in 1880. Willey was much in demand as a public speaker throughout his life -- he was called, \"old man eloquent\" -- because of his commanding appearance, \"thrilling\" voice, evident sincerity, and knowledge. He spoke frequently on Temperance, Methodist beliefs, politics, the classics, and history. He collected a large library, wrote numerous articles and a biography of Philip Doddridge. He received several honorary degrees, including LLD from Allegheny College and West Virginia University. Willey's last public appearance was at the funeral of Governor Pierpont when he gave a \"stirring\" eulogy. He was 88 years of age.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWaitman T. Willey, \"Grand Old Man of West Virginia,\" died May 2, 1900, at his home, Chancery Hill, in Morgantown. His funeral was the largest ever held in Morgantown to that time. He was interred in Oak Grove Cemetery.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eNotes:\n1. In June, 1861, Willey was not present at the second convention in Wheeling at which the Reorganized Government of Virginia was established in preparation for statehood. His father and stepmother were fatally ill at the time and he was at home.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e2. Willey never wrote a history of the statehood deliberations, politics, or conventions. He felt he was too biased to do justice to the history. No history was ever written by the participants.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eBibliography:\n1. Ambler, C.H.; \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eWaitman Thomas Willey\u003c/emph\u003e, 1954, Standard Printing and Publishing C., Huntington, W. Va.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e2. Corson, L.D.; \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eLegislative Career of Waitman T. Willey\u003c/emph\u003e, 1942, master's thesis, West Virginia University.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e3. Moore, J.T.; \"Waitman T. Willey,\" in \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eDictionary of American Biography\u003c/emph\u003e, p. 426.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e4. \u003cemph render=\"italic\"\u003eObituary\u003c/emph\u003e, \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eMorgantown Weekly Post\u003c/emph\u003e, Thursday, May 10, 1900.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e5. Ware, A.F.; \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eA Study of the Rhetoric of Waitman T. Willey in the West Virginia Statehood Movement\u003c/emph\u003e, 1952, master's thesis, West Virginia University.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e6. White, L.C.; \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eWest Virginia and Her U.S. Senators in the Impeachment of President Andrew Johnson\u003c/emph\u003e, 1928, master's thesis, West Virginia University.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e7. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Liberty and Union,\" 1854, Wheeling, J.E. Wharton, publisher. A speech.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e8. Willey, Waitman T.; address delivered before the Constitutional Convention of West Virginia in the City of Wheeling, 12 February 1863.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e9. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Historical Address,\" Celebration of the Municipal Centennial of Morgantown, 1885.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e10. Willey, William P.; The Formation of the State of West Virginia, 1901, The News Publishing Co., Wheeling, W. Va.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003ePrepared by Carole B. Boyd, M.D., 2000.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"bioghist_heading_ssm":["Biographical / Historical"],"bioghist_tesim":["Waitman Thomas Willey, West Virginia pioneer, lawyer, Methodist churchman, and United States Senator, was born October 18, 1811, at Buffalo Creek, Virginia (near Fairmont in Marion County, West Virginia), the son of William Willey, Jr., former Revolutionary War soldier under General Anthony Wayne, and Sarah Barnes, a member of a prominent family of northwestern Virginia.","Willey's first twelve years were spent at Buffalo Creek where his father's farm was a frontier homestead isolated from the few towns in the area. In 1823, the family (which now included stepmother, Mary McCormack Willey) moved to a farm on the Monongahela River in Monongalia County near present-day Rivesville. Here, Willey received a rudimentary formal education with readings from the classics and the Bible.","In 1827, Willey walked the forty miles from his home to Uniontown, Pennsylvania to attend Madison College (later Allegheny College) where he excelled in classical studies and mathematics. After three and one half years he received a B.A. degree, and then read law in the office of Philip Doddridge and John Campbell in Wellsburg, Brooke County, Virginia. He was admitted to the bar in 1833; in addition, he received an M.A. degree from Augusta College in Kentucky in 1834.","Willey settled in Morgantown, Monongalia County, Virginia, in 1832, with his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Patrick Ray, a prominent citizen of Morgantown who was Clerk of the Court and a founder of the Morgantown Female Academy (to which he gave his home). The Willey family subsequently included seven children: Mary Ellen, wife of Dr. M.L. Casselberry of Morgantown; Sarah Barnes, wife of J. Marshall Hagans, distinguished judge; William Patrick, professor of law at West Virginia University; Julia, wife of Major William McGrew, Union Army officer, West Virginia state senator, and Morgantown banker; Thomas Ray, United States government clerk in the Interior Department; Louisa, unmarried, who remained at home; and John Byrne, deputy clerk of Monongalia County.","Waitman T. Willey maintained a successful and lucrative law practice in Morgantown for 67 years. He served as Monongalia County Clerk and clerk of the Circuit Superior Court from 1841 to 1852, and was Morgantown's first Superintendent of Schools. Willey had an early interest in politics and was an active member of the conservative Whig Party: he served as an elector for the Harrison-Tyler election of 1840, was an unsuccessful Whig candidate for Congress in 1852, an unsuccessful Opposition (Whig Party) candidate for Lt. Governor of Virginia in 1859, and a delegate to the Constitutional Union Party convention which nominated Bell and Everett for President and Vice President in 1860. In 1850, Willey had been a delegate to the Virginia Constitutional Convention where he championed western Virginia interests, white manhood suffrage, and governmental reforms. Again, in 1861, he was a delegate to the Virginia Convention that voted for secession (Willey voted against it). In the subsequent, Pro-Union, reorganized legislature (the \"Restored Government of Virginia at Wheeling\"), Willey was elected to Congress to complete the term of James M. Mason for two years. While in the Senate, Willey actively introduced legislation to admit West Virginia into the Union. The Reorganized Government proposed a new state Constitution that Willey supported in Congress in 1862. Following revision of the proposal to include emancipation of slaves and a favorable referendum by the West Virginia voters, statehood was achieved in 1863.","Willey returned to the Senate in 1863 and was elected to the full six-year term in 1865. During his tenure, he initially opposed Republican lawmakers over issues involving the war, confiscation of rebel property, and slavery. But because of his \"ardent support\" of the Union, Willey's political views evolved through the years to support Republican aims, including national emancipation of slaves and disenfranchisement of disloyal citizens. He considered the latter appropriate in order to keep \"southern sympathizers\" from gaining control of West Virginia and perhaps reuniting the state with Virginia. Although Willey was aligned with conservative Republicans in the Senate, he did vote for the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Reconstruction Acts, the removal of President Johnson, and the 14th and 15th Amendments. He opposed the Freedman's Bureau and the Enforcement Acts of 1870. Many in West Virginia opposed Republican Party policies, and in 1870 the party lost control of state government. Willey left the Senate in 1871 and returned to his Morgantown law practice and the County Clerkship (1882-1890).","Willey remained active in politics throughout his later life. He served in the 1872 State Constitutional Convention and supported Republican Party policies and candidates, and was chairman of the West Virginia delegation to the GOP National Convention in 1876. He also continued his active service in the Methodist Church where he was an advocate for lay participation in the national conference and served as delegate from West Virginia in 1880. Willey was much in demand as a public speaker throughout his life -- he was called, \"old man eloquent\" -- because of his commanding appearance, \"thrilling\" voice, evident sincerity, and knowledge. He spoke frequently on Temperance, Methodist beliefs, politics, the classics, and history. He collected a large library, wrote numerous articles and a biography of Philip Doddridge. He received several honorary degrees, including LLD from Allegheny College and West Virginia University. Willey's last public appearance was at the funeral of Governor Pierpont when he gave a \"stirring\" eulogy. He was 88 years of age.","Waitman T. Willey, \"Grand Old Man of West Virginia,\" died May 2, 1900, at his home, Chancery Hill, in Morgantown. His funeral was the largest ever held in Morgantown to that time. He was interred in Oak Grove Cemetery.","Notes:\n1. In June, 1861, Willey was not present at the second convention in Wheeling at which the Reorganized Government of Virginia was established in preparation for statehood. His father and stepmother were fatally ill at the time and he was at home.","2. Willey never wrote a history of the statehood deliberations, politics, or conventions. He felt he was too biased to do justice to the history. No history was ever written by the participants.","Bibliography:\n1. Ambler, C.H.; Waitman Thomas Willey, 1954, Standard Printing and Publishing C., Huntington, W. Va.","2. Corson, L.D.; Legislative Career of Waitman T. Willey, 1942, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","3. Moore, J.T.; \"Waitman T. Willey,\" in Dictionary of American Biography, p. 426.","4. Obituary, Morgantown Weekly Post, Thursday, May 10, 1900.","5. Ware, A.F.; A Study of the Rhetoric of Waitman T. Willey in the West Virginia Statehood Movement, 1952, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","6. White, L.C.; West Virginia and Her U.S. Senators in the Impeachment of President Andrew Johnson, 1928, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","7. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Liberty and Union,\" 1854, Wheeling, J.E. Wharton, publisher. A speech.","8. Willey, Waitman T.; address delivered before the Constitutional Convention of West Virginia in the City of Wheeling, 12 February 1863.","9. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Historical Address,\" Celebration of the Municipal Centennial of Morgantown, 1885.","10. Willey, William P.; The Formation of the State of West Virginia, 1901, The News Publishing Co., Wheeling, W. Va.","Prepared by Carole B. Boyd, M.D., 2000."],"prefercite_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003e[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Waitman T. Willey Papers, A\u0026amp;M 0003, West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"prefercite_tesim":["[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Waitman T. Willey Papers, A\u0026M 0003, West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia."],"relatedmaterial_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003e1361\u003c/p\u003e  "],"relatedmaterial_heading_ssm":["Related A\u0026M Collections"],"relatedmaterial_tesim":["1361"],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003ePapers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eSeries include:\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eSeries 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied, 1840–1898, boxes 1-4\nSeries 1b. Incoming Correspondence -- Non-Transcribed/Not Copied, 1833–1900, boxes 4-16\nSeries 2. Financial Records, 1837–1869, boxes 17-18\nSeries 3. Legal Papers, 1820–1856, boxes 19-20\nSeries 4. W.T. Willey's Diary, 1830–1908, boxes 21-22\nSeries 5. Miscellaneous, 1827-1917, undated, box 22 and unboxed\u003c/p\u003e  "],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Contents"],"scopecontent_tesim":["Papers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material.","Series include:","Series 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied, 1840–1898, boxes 1-4\nSeries 1b. Incoming Correspondence -- Non-Transcribed/Not Copied, 1833–1900, boxes 4-16\nSeries 2. Financial Records, 1837–1869, boxes 17-18\nSeries 3. Legal Papers, 1820–1856, boxes 19-20\nSeries 4. W.T. Willey's Diary, 1830–1908, boxes 21-22\nSeries 5. Miscellaneous, 1827-1917, undated, box 22 and unboxed"],"userestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003ePermission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the \u003ca href=\"https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu/visit/permissions-and-copyright\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ePermissions and Copyright page\u003c/a\u003e on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"userestrict_heading_ssm":["Conditions Governing Use"],"userestrict_tesim":["Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website."],"abstract_html_tesm":["\u003cabstract id=\"aspace_18cd3685d4dadbc9e748f60d929a78ab\"\u003ePapers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material. For more information about Willey, see the Historical Note.\u003c/abstract\u003e\n    "],"abstract_tesim":["Papers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material. For more information about Willey, see the Historical Note."],"physloc_html_tesm":["\u003cphysloc id=\"aspace_5cf97afe325843f43df11ef15816113b\"\u003eWest Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536  / URL: \u003ca href=\"https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu/\"\u003eWest Virginia \u0026amp; Regional History Center\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/physloc\u003e\n    "],"physloc_tesim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536  / URL: West Virginia \u0026 Regional History Center"],"corpname_ssim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center","United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)"],"names_coll_ssim":["United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Willey, William P. (William Patrick)"],"persname_ssim":["Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, William P. (William Patrick)"],"names_ssim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center","United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)","Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, William P. (William Patrick)"],"language_ssim":["English\n."],"descrules_ssm":["Describing Archives: A Content Standard"],"total_component_count_is":121,"online_item_count_is":0,"component_level_isim":[0],"sort_isi":0,"timestamp":"2026-09-01T16:09:24.514Z"}]}},"label":"Breadcrumbs"}}},"links":{"self":"https://arvasarchive.org/catalog/wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345_c02_c13"}},{"id":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345_c01_c25","type":"File","attributes":{"title":"Item Nos. 485-497, 1863","abstract_or_scope":{"id":"https://arvasarchive.org/catalog/wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345_c01_c25#abstract_or_scope","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":"\u003cp\u003eTopics include:\u003c/p\u003e","label":"Abstract Or Scope"}},"breadcrumbs":{"id":"https://arvasarchive.org/catalog/wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345_c01_c25#breadcrumbs","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":{"ref_ssi":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345_c01_c25","ref_ssm":["wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345_c01_c25"],"id":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345_c01_c25","ead_ssi":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","_root_":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","_nest_parent_":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345_c01","parent_ssi":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345_c01","parent_ssim":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917","Series 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied [boxes 1-4], 1840/1898"],"parent_ids_ssim":["wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345_c01"],"title_filing_ssi":"Item Nos. 485-497","title_ssm":["Item Nos. 485-497"],"title_tesim":["Item Nos. 485-497"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Item Nos. 485-497, 1863"],"text":["Item Nos. 485-497, 1863","Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917","Series 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied [boxes 1-4], 1840/1898","Box 2","Folder 7","Topics include:","Politics: Items 485, 487-490, 492-494, 497 (WTW running for Senate again, state politics, exchange of prisoners, military arrest, prisoners in Camp Chase)","Government/War: Items 486, 491, 495-496 (money spent to raise troops, money for guards in Wheeling)","Family and Friends: Item 489 (news of Morgantown)","Law/Business: Items 485, 495 (US Mail in West Virginia, bill in Congress)"],"parent_unittitles_ssm":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917","Series 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied [boxes 1-4], 1840/1898"],"parent_unittitles_tesim":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917","Series 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied [boxes 1-4], 1840/1898"],"normalized_date_ssm":["1863"],"unitdate_inclusive_ssm":["1863"],"level_ssm":["File"],"level_ssim":["File"],"component_level_isim":[2],"sort_isi":26,"repository_ssim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center"],"collection_ssim":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917"],"containers_ssim":["Box 2","Folder 7"],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"child_component_count_isi":0,"parent_access_restrict_tesm":["No special access restriction applies.","Researchers may access digitized materials by requesting to view the materials in person by appointment or remotely by contacting the West Virginia \u0026 Regional History Center reference department."],"parent_access_terms_tesm":["Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website."],"date_range_isim":[1863],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eTopics include:\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e Politics: Items 485, 487-490, 492-494, 497 (WTW running for Senate again, state politics, exchange of prisoners, military arrest, prisoners in Camp Chase) \u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eGovernment/War: Items 486, 491, 495-496 (money spent to raise troops, money for guards in Wheeling) \u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eFamily and Friends: Item 489 (news of Morgantown) \u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLaw/Business: Items 485, 495 (US Mail in West Virginia, bill in Congress)\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Contents"],"scopecontent_tesim":["Topics include:","Politics: Items 485, 487-490, 492-494, 497 (WTW running for Senate again, state politics, exchange of prisoners, military arrest, prisoners in Camp Chase)","Government/War: Items 486, 491, 495-496 (money spent to raise troops, money for guards in Wheeling)","Family and Friends: Item 489 (news of Morgantown)","Law/Business: Items 485, 495 (US Mail in West Virginia, bill in Congress)"],"_nest_path_":"/components#0/components#24","timestamp":"2026-09-01T16:09:24.514Z","collection":{"numFound":1,"start":0,"numFoundExact":true,"docs":[{"id":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","ead_ssi":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","_root_":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","_nest_parent_":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","ead_source_url_ssi":"data/oai/WVU/repositories_2_resources_2345.xml","aspace_url_ssi":"https://archives.lib.wvu.edu/ark:/99999/196411","title_ssm":["Waitman T. Willey Papers"],"title_tesim":["Waitman T. Willey Papers"],"unitdate_ssm":["1820-1917"],"unitdate_inclusive_ssm":["1820-1917"],"normalized_date_ssm":["1820/1917"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917"],"text":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917","A\u0026M 0003","Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","/repositories/2/resources/2345","Monongalia County (W. Va.)","United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government","United States -- Politics and government","Politics and government.","Secession","Temperance","Politicians -- United States","Statehood politics -- West Virginia","Diaries","No special access restriction applies.","Researchers may access digitized materials by requesting to view the materials in person by appointment or remotely by contacting the West Virginia \u0026 Regional History Center reference department.","Waitman Thomas Willey, West Virginia pioneer, lawyer, Methodist churchman, and United States Senator, was born October 18, 1811, at Buffalo Creek, Virginia (near Fairmont in Marion County, West Virginia), the son of William Willey, Jr., former Revolutionary War soldier under General Anthony Wayne, and Sarah Barnes, a member of a prominent family of northwestern Virginia.","Willey's first twelve years were spent at Buffalo Creek where his father's farm was a frontier homestead isolated from the few towns in the area. In 1823, the family (which now included stepmother, Mary McCormack Willey) moved to a farm on the Monongahela River in Monongalia County near present-day Rivesville. Here, Willey received a rudimentary formal education with readings from the classics and the Bible.","In 1827, Willey walked the forty miles from his home to Uniontown, Pennsylvania to attend Madison College (later Allegheny College) where he excelled in classical studies and mathematics. After three and one half years he received a B.A. degree, and then read law in the office of Philip Doddridge and John Campbell in Wellsburg, Brooke County, Virginia. He was admitted to the bar in 1833; in addition, he received an M.A. degree from Augusta College in Kentucky in 1834.","Willey settled in Morgantown, Monongalia County, Virginia, in 1832, with his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Patrick Ray, a prominent citizen of Morgantown who was Clerk of the Court and a founder of the Morgantown Female Academy (to which he gave his home). The Willey family subsequently included seven children: Mary Ellen, wife of Dr. M.L. Casselberry of Morgantown; Sarah Barnes, wife of J. Marshall Hagans, distinguished judge; William Patrick, professor of law at West Virginia University; Julia, wife of Major William McGrew, Union Army officer, West Virginia state senator, and Morgantown banker; Thomas Ray, United States government clerk in the Interior Department; Louisa, unmarried, who remained at home; and John Byrne, deputy clerk of Monongalia County.","Waitman T. Willey maintained a successful and lucrative law practice in Morgantown for 67 years. He served as Monongalia County Clerk and clerk of the Circuit Superior Court from 1841 to 1852, and was Morgantown's first Superintendent of Schools. Willey had an early interest in politics and was an active member of the conservative Whig Party: he served as an elector for the Harrison-Tyler election of 1840, was an unsuccessful Whig candidate for Congress in 1852, an unsuccessful Opposition (Whig Party) candidate for Lt. Governor of Virginia in 1859, and a delegate to the Constitutional Union Party convention which nominated Bell and Everett for President and Vice President in 1860. In 1850, Willey had been a delegate to the Virginia Constitutional Convention where he championed western Virginia interests, white manhood suffrage, and governmental reforms. Again, in 1861, he was a delegate to the Virginia Convention that voted for secession (Willey voted against it). In the subsequent, Pro-Union, reorganized legislature (the \"Restored Government of Virginia at Wheeling\"), Willey was elected to Congress to complete the term of James M. Mason for two years. While in the Senate, Willey actively introduced legislation to admit West Virginia into the Union. The Reorganized Government proposed a new state Constitution that Willey supported in Congress in 1862. Following revision of the proposal to include emancipation of slaves and a favorable referendum by the West Virginia voters, statehood was achieved in 1863.","Willey returned to the Senate in 1863 and was elected to the full six-year term in 1865. During his tenure, he initially opposed Republican lawmakers over issues involving the war, confiscation of rebel property, and slavery. But because of his \"ardent support\" of the Union, Willey's political views evolved through the years to support Republican aims, including national emancipation of slaves and disenfranchisement of disloyal citizens. He considered the latter appropriate in order to keep \"southern sympathizers\" from gaining control of West Virginia and perhaps reuniting the state with Virginia. Although Willey was aligned with conservative Republicans in the Senate, he did vote for the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Reconstruction Acts, the removal of President Johnson, and the 14th and 15th Amendments. He opposed the Freedman's Bureau and the Enforcement Acts of 1870. Many in West Virginia opposed Republican Party policies, and in 1870 the party lost control of state government. Willey left the Senate in 1871 and returned to his Morgantown law practice and the County Clerkship (1882-1890).","Willey remained active in politics throughout his later life. He served in the 1872 State Constitutional Convention and supported Republican Party policies and candidates, and was chairman of the West Virginia delegation to the GOP National Convention in 1876. He also continued his active service in the Methodist Church where he was an advocate for lay participation in the national conference and served as delegate from West Virginia in 1880. Willey was much in demand as a public speaker throughout his life -- he was called, \"old man eloquent\" -- because of his commanding appearance, \"thrilling\" voice, evident sincerity, and knowledge. He spoke frequently on Temperance, Methodist beliefs, politics, the classics, and history. He collected a large library, wrote numerous articles and a biography of Philip Doddridge. He received several honorary degrees, including LLD from Allegheny College and West Virginia University. Willey's last public appearance was at the funeral of Governor Pierpont when he gave a \"stirring\" eulogy. He was 88 years of age.","Waitman T. Willey, \"Grand Old Man of West Virginia,\" died May 2, 1900, at his home, Chancery Hill, in Morgantown. His funeral was the largest ever held in Morgantown to that time. He was interred in Oak Grove Cemetery.","Notes:\n1. In June, 1861, Willey was not present at the second convention in Wheeling at which the Reorganized Government of Virginia was established in preparation for statehood. His father and stepmother were fatally ill at the time and he was at home.","2. Willey never wrote a history of the statehood deliberations, politics, or conventions. He felt he was too biased to do justice to the history. No history was ever written by the participants.","Bibliography:\n1. Ambler, C.H.; Waitman Thomas Willey, 1954, Standard Printing and Publishing C., Huntington, W. Va.","2. Corson, L.D.; Legislative Career of Waitman T. Willey, 1942, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","3. Moore, J.T.; \"Waitman T. Willey,\" in Dictionary of American Biography, p. 426.","4. Obituary, Morgantown Weekly Post, Thursday, May 10, 1900.","5. Ware, A.F.; A Study of the Rhetoric of Waitman T. Willey in the West Virginia Statehood Movement, 1952, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","6. White, L.C.; West Virginia and Her U.S. Senators in the Impeachment of President Andrew Johnson, 1928, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","7. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Liberty and Union,\" 1854, Wheeling, J.E. Wharton, publisher. A speech.","8. Willey, Waitman T.; address delivered before the Constitutional Convention of West Virginia in the City of Wheeling, 12 February 1863.","9. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Historical Address,\" Celebration of the Municipal Centennial of Morgantown, 1885.","10. Willey, William P.; The Formation of the State of West Virginia, 1901, The News Publishing Co., Wheeling, W. Va.","Prepared by Carole B. Boyd, M.D., 2000.","1361","Papers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material.","Series include:","Series 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied, 1840–1898, boxes 1-4\nSeries 1b. Incoming Correspondence -- Non-Transcribed/Not Copied, 1833–1900, boxes 4-16\nSeries 2. Financial Records, 1837–1869, boxes 17-18\nSeries 3. Legal Papers, 1820–1856, boxes 19-20\nSeries 4. W.T. Willey's Diary, 1830–1908, boxes 21-22\nSeries 5. Miscellaneous, 1827-1917, undated, box 22 and unboxed","Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website.","Papers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material. For more information about Willey, see the Historical Note.","West Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536  / URL: West Virginia \u0026 Regional History Center","West Virginia and Regional History Center","United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)","Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, William P. (William Patrick)","English\n."],"collection_title_tesim":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917"],"collection_ssim":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917"],"level_ssm":["collection"],"level_ssim":["Collection"],"unitid_ssm":["A\u0026M 0003","Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","/repositories/2/resources/2345"],"unitid_tesim":["A\u0026M 0003","Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","/repositories/2/resources/2345"],"repository_ssm":["West Virginia and Regional History Center"],"repository_ssim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center"],"geogname_ssm":["Monongalia County (W. Va.)","United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government","United States -- Politics and government"],"geogname_ssim":["Monongalia County (W. Va.)","United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government","United States -- Politics and government"],"places_ssim":["Monongalia County (W. Va.)","United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government","United States -- Politics and government"],"creator_ssm":["Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900"],"creator_ssim":["Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900"],"creator_persname_ssim":["Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, William P. (William Patrick)"],"creator_corpname_ssim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center","United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)"],"creators_ssim":["Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, William P. (William Patrick)","West Virginia and Regional History Center","United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)"],"access_terms_ssm":["Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website."],"access_subjects_ssim":["Politics and government.","Secession","Temperance","Politicians -- United States","Statehood politics -- West Virginia","Diaries"],"access_subjects_ssm":["Politics and government.","Secession","Temperance","Politicians -- United States","Statehood politics -- West Virginia","Diaries"],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"extent_ssm":["9.2 Linear Feet Summary: 9 ft. 2 1/4 in. (22 document cases, 5 in. each); (1 oversize folder, 1/4 in.)"],"extent_tesim":["9.2 Linear Feet Summary: 9 ft. 2 1/4 in. (22 document cases, 5 in. each); (1 oversize folder, 1/4 in.)"],"genreform_ssim":["Diaries"],"date_range_isim":[1820,1821,1822,1823,1824,1825,1826,1827,1828,1829,1830,1831,1832,1833,1834,1835,1836,1837,1838,1839,1840,1841,1842,1843,1844,1845,1846,1847,1848,1849,1850,1851,1852,1853,1854,1855,1856,1857,1858,1859,1860,1861,1862,1863,1864,1865,1866,1867,1868,1869,1870,1871,1872,1873,1874,1875,1876,1877,1878,1879,1880,1881,1882,1883,1884,1885,1886,1887,1888,1889,1890,1891,1892,1893,1894,1895,1896,1897,1898,1899,1900,1901,1902,1903,1904,1905,1906,1907,1908,1909,1910,1911,1912,1913,1914,1915,1916,1917],"accessrestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eNo special access restriction applies.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eResearchers may access digitized materials by requesting to view the materials in person by appointment or remotely by contacting the \u003ca href=\"https://westvirginia.libanswers.com/wvrhc\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eWest Virginia \u0026amp; Regional History Center reference department\u003c/a\u003e. \u003c/p\u003e  "],"accessrestrict_heading_ssm":["Conditions Governing Access"],"accessrestrict_tesim":["No special access restriction applies.","Researchers may access digitized materials by requesting to view the materials in person by appointment or remotely by contacting the West Virginia \u0026 Regional History Center reference department."],"bioghist_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eWaitman Thomas Willey, West Virginia pioneer, lawyer, Methodist churchman, and United States Senator, was born October 18, 1811, at Buffalo Creek, Virginia (near Fairmont in Marion County, West Virginia), the son of William Willey, Jr., former Revolutionary War soldier under General Anthony Wayne, and Sarah Barnes, a member of a prominent family of northwestern Virginia.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWilley's first twelve years were spent at Buffalo Creek where his father's farm was a frontier homestead isolated from the few towns in the area. In 1823, the family (which now included stepmother, Mary McCormack Willey) moved to a farm on the Monongahela River in Monongalia County near present-day Rivesville. Here, Willey received a rudimentary formal education with readings from the classics and the Bible.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eIn 1827, Willey walked the forty miles from his home to Uniontown, Pennsylvania to attend Madison College (later Allegheny College) where he excelled in classical studies and mathematics. After three and one half years he received a B.A. degree, and then read law in the office of Philip Doddridge and John Campbell in Wellsburg, Brooke County, Virginia. He was admitted to the bar in 1833; in addition, he received an M.A. degree from Augusta College in Kentucky in 1834.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWilley settled in Morgantown, Monongalia County, Virginia, in 1832, with his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Patrick Ray, a prominent citizen of Morgantown who was Clerk of the Court and a founder of the Morgantown Female Academy (to which he gave his home). The Willey family subsequently included seven children: Mary Ellen, wife of Dr. M.L. Casselberry of Morgantown; Sarah Barnes, wife of J. Marshall Hagans, distinguished judge; William Patrick, professor of law at West Virginia University; Julia, wife of Major William McGrew, Union Army officer, West Virginia state senator, and Morgantown banker; Thomas Ray, United States government clerk in the Interior Department; Louisa, unmarried, who remained at home; and John Byrne, deputy clerk of Monongalia County.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWaitman T. Willey maintained a successful and lucrative law practice in Morgantown for 67 years. He served as Monongalia County Clerk and clerk of the Circuit Superior Court from 1841 to 1852, and was Morgantown's first Superintendent of Schools. Willey had an early interest in politics and was an active member of the conservative Whig Party: he served as an elector for the Harrison-Tyler election of 1840, was an unsuccessful Whig candidate for Congress in 1852, an unsuccessful Opposition (Whig Party) candidate for Lt. Governor of Virginia in 1859, and a delegate to the Constitutional Union Party convention which nominated Bell and Everett for President and Vice President in 1860. In 1850, Willey had been a delegate to the Virginia Constitutional Convention where he championed western Virginia interests, white manhood suffrage, and governmental reforms. Again, in 1861, he was a delegate to the Virginia Convention that voted for secession (Willey voted against it). In the subsequent, Pro-Union, reorganized legislature (the \"Restored Government of Virginia at Wheeling\"), Willey was elected to Congress to complete the term of James M. Mason for two years. While in the Senate, Willey actively introduced legislation to admit West Virginia into the Union. The Reorganized Government proposed a new state Constitution that Willey supported in Congress in 1862. Following revision of the proposal to include emancipation of slaves and a favorable referendum by the West Virginia voters, statehood was achieved in 1863.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWilley returned to the Senate in 1863 and was elected to the full six-year term in 1865. During his tenure, he initially opposed Republican lawmakers over issues involving the war, confiscation of rebel property, and slavery. But because of his \"ardent support\" of the Union, Willey's political views evolved through the years to support Republican aims, including national emancipation of slaves and disenfranchisement of disloyal citizens. He considered the latter appropriate in order to keep \"southern sympathizers\" from gaining control of West Virginia and perhaps reuniting the state with Virginia. Although Willey was aligned with conservative Republicans in the Senate, he did vote for the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Reconstruction Acts, the removal of President Johnson, and the 14th and 15th Amendments. He opposed the Freedman's Bureau and the Enforcement Acts of 1870. Many in West Virginia opposed Republican Party policies, and in 1870 the party lost control of state government. Willey left the Senate in 1871 and returned to his Morgantown law practice and the County Clerkship (1882-1890).\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWilley remained active in politics throughout his later life. He served in the 1872 State Constitutional Convention and supported Republican Party policies and candidates, and was chairman of the West Virginia delegation to the GOP National Convention in 1876. He also continued his active service in the Methodist Church where he was an advocate for lay participation in the national conference and served as delegate from West Virginia in 1880. Willey was much in demand as a public speaker throughout his life -- he was called, \"old man eloquent\" -- because of his commanding appearance, \"thrilling\" voice, evident sincerity, and knowledge. He spoke frequently on Temperance, Methodist beliefs, politics, the classics, and history. He collected a large library, wrote numerous articles and a biography of Philip Doddridge. He received several honorary degrees, including LLD from Allegheny College and West Virginia University. Willey's last public appearance was at the funeral of Governor Pierpont when he gave a \"stirring\" eulogy. He was 88 years of age.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWaitman T. Willey, \"Grand Old Man of West Virginia,\" died May 2, 1900, at his home, Chancery Hill, in Morgantown. His funeral was the largest ever held in Morgantown to that time. He was interred in Oak Grove Cemetery.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eNotes:\n1. In June, 1861, Willey was not present at the second convention in Wheeling at which the Reorganized Government of Virginia was established in preparation for statehood. His father and stepmother were fatally ill at the time and he was at home.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e2. Willey never wrote a history of the statehood deliberations, politics, or conventions. He felt he was too biased to do justice to the history. No history was ever written by the participants.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eBibliography:\n1. Ambler, C.H.; \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eWaitman Thomas Willey\u003c/emph\u003e, 1954, Standard Printing and Publishing C., Huntington, W. Va.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e2. Corson, L.D.; \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eLegislative Career of Waitman T. Willey\u003c/emph\u003e, 1942, master's thesis, West Virginia University.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e3. Moore, J.T.; \"Waitman T. Willey,\" in \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eDictionary of American Biography\u003c/emph\u003e, p. 426.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e4. \u003cemph render=\"italic\"\u003eObituary\u003c/emph\u003e, \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eMorgantown Weekly Post\u003c/emph\u003e, Thursday, May 10, 1900.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e5. Ware, A.F.; \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eA Study of the Rhetoric of Waitman T. Willey in the West Virginia Statehood Movement\u003c/emph\u003e, 1952, master's thesis, West Virginia University.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e6. White, L.C.; \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eWest Virginia and Her U.S. Senators in the Impeachment of President Andrew Johnson\u003c/emph\u003e, 1928, master's thesis, West Virginia University.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e7. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Liberty and Union,\" 1854, Wheeling, J.E. Wharton, publisher. A speech.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e8. Willey, Waitman T.; address delivered before the Constitutional Convention of West Virginia in the City of Wheeling, 12 February 1863.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e9. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Historical Address,\" Celebration of the Municipal Centennial of Morgantown, 1885.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e10. Willey, William P.; The Formation of the State of West Virginia, 1901, The News Publishing Co., Wheeling, W. Va.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003ePrepared by Carole B. Boyd, M.D., 2000.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"bioghist_heading_ssm":["Biographical / Historical"],"bioghist_tesim":["Waitman Thomas Willey, West Virginia pioneer, lawyer, Methodist churchman, and United States Senator, was born October 18, 1811, at Buffalo Creek, Virginia (near Fairmont in Marion County, West Virginia), the son of William Willey, Jr., former Revolutionary War soldier under General Anthony Wayne, and Sarah Barnes, a member of a prominent family of northwestern Virginia.","Willey's first twelve years were spent at Buffalo Creek where his father's farm was a frontier homestead isolated from the few towns in the area. In 1823, the family (which now included stepmother, Mary McCormack Willey) moved to a farm on the Monongahela River in Monongalia County near present-day Rivesville. Here, Willey received a rudimentary formal education with readings from the classics and the Bible.","In 1827, Willey walked the forty miles from his home to Uniontown, Pennsylvania to attend Madison College (later Allegheny College) where he excelled in classical studies and mathematics. After three and one half years he received a B.A. degree, and then read law in the office of Philip Doddridge and John Campbell in Wellsburg, Brooke County, Virginia. He was admitted to the bar in 1833; in addition, he received an M.A. degree from Augusta College in Kentucky in 1834.","Willey settled in Morgantown, Monongalia County, Virginia, in 1832, with his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Patrick Ray, a prominent citizen of Morgantown who was Clerk of the Court and a founder of the Morgantown Female Academy (to which he gave his home). The Willey family subsequently included seven children: Mary Ellen, wife of Dr. M.L. Casselberry of Morgantown; Sarah Barnes, wife of J. Marshall Hagans, distinguished judge; William Patrick, professor of law at West Virginia University; Julia, wife of Major William McGrew, Union Army officer, West Virginia state senator, and Morgantown banker; Thomas Ray, United States government clerk in the Interior Department; Louisa, unmarried, who remained at home; and John Byrne, deputy clerk of Monongalia County.","Waitman T. Willey maintained a successful and lucrative law practice in Morgantown for 67 years. He served as Monongalia County Clerk and clerk of the Circuit Superior Court from 1841 to 1852, and was Morgantown's first Superintendent of Schools. Willey had an early interest in politics and was an active member of the conservative Whig Party: he served as an elector for the Harrison-Tyler election of 1840, was an unsuccessful Whig candidate for Congress in 1852, an unsuccessful Opposition (Whig Party) candidate for Lt. Governor of Virginia in 1859, and a delegate to the Constitutional Union Party convention which nominated Bell and Everett for President and Vice President in 1860. In 1850, Willey had been a delegate to the Virginia Constitutional Convention where he championed western Virginia interests, white manhood suffrage, and governmental reforms. Again, in 1861, he was a delegate to the Virginia Convention that voted for secession (Willey voted against it). In the subsequent, Pro-Union, reorganized legislature (the \"Restored Government of Virginia at Wheeling\"), Willey was elected to Congress to complete the term of James M. Mason for two years. While in the Senate, Willey actively introduced legislation to admit West Virginia into the Union. The Reorganized Government proposed a new state Constitution that Willey supported in Congress in 1862. Following revision of the proposal to include emancipation of slaves and a favorable referendum by the West Virginia voters, statehood was achieved in 1863.","Willey returned to the Senate in 1863 and was elected to the full six-year term in 1865. During his tenure, he initially opposed Republican lawmakers over issues involving the war, confiscation of rebel property, and slavery. But because of his \"ardent support\" of the Union, Willey's political views evolved through the years to support Republican aims, including national emancipation of slaves and disenfranchisement of disloyal citizens. He considered the latter appropriate in order to keep \"southern sympathizers\" from gaining control of West Virginia and perhaps reuniting the state with Virginia. Although Willey was aligned with conservative Republicans in the Senate, he did vote for the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Reconstruction Acts, the removal of President Johnson, and the 14th and 15th Amendments. He opposed the Freedman's Bureau and the Enforcement Acts of 1870. Many in West Virginia opposed Republican Party policies, and in 1870 the party lost control of state government. Willey left the Senate in 1871 and returned to his Morgantown law practice and the County Clerkship (1882-1890).","Willey remained active in politics throughout his later life. He served in the 1872 State Constitutional Convention and supported Republican Party policies and candidates, and was chairman of the West Virginia delegation to the GOP National Convention in 1876. He also continued his active service in the Methodist Church where he was an advocate for lay participation in the national conference and served as delegate from West Virginia in 1880. Willey was much in demand as a public speaker throughout his life -- he was called, \"old man eloquent\" -- because of his commanding appearance, \"thrilling\" voice, evident sincerity, and knowledge. He spoke frequently on Temperance, Methodist beliefs, politics, the classics, and history. He collected a large library, wrote numerous articles and a biography of Philip Doddridge. He received several honorary degrees, including LLD from Allegheny College and West Virginia University. Willey's last public appearance was at the funeral of Governor Pierpont when he gave a \"stirring\" eulogy. He was 88 years of age.","Waitman T. Willey, \"Grand Old Man of West Virginia,\" died May 2, 1900, at his home, Chancery Hill, in Morgantown. His funeral was the largest ever held in Morgantown to that time. He was interred in Oak Grove Cemetery.","Notes:\n1. In June, 1861, Willey was not present at the second convention in Wheeling at which the Reorganized Government of Virginia was established in preparation for statehood. His father and stepmother were fatally ill at the time and he was at home.","2. Willey never wrote a history of the statehood deliberations, politics, or conventions. He felt he was too biased to do justice to the history. No history was ever written by the participants.","Bibliography:\n1. Ambler, C.H.; Waitman Thomas Willey, 1954, Standard Printing and Publishing C., Huntington, W. Va.","2. Corson, L.D.; Legislative Career of Waitman T. Willey, 1942, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","3. Moore, J.T.; \"Waitman T. Willey,\" in Dictionary of American Biography, p. 426.","4. Obituary, Morgantown Weekly Post, Thursday, May 10, 1900.","5. Ware, A.F.; A Study of the Rhetoric of Waitman T. Willey in the West Virginia Statehood Movement, 1952, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","6. White, L.C.; West Virginia and Her U.S. Senators in the Impeachment of President Andrew Johnson, 1928, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","7. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Liberty and Union,\" 1854, Wheeling, J.E. Wharton, publisher. A speech.","8. Willey, Waitman T.; address delivered before the Constitutional Convention of West Virginia in the City of Wheeling, 12 February 1863.","9. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Historical Address,\" Celebration of the Municipal Centennial of Morgantown, 1885.","10. Willey, William P.; The Formation of the State of West Virginia, 1901, The News Publishing Co., Wheeling, W. Va.","Prepared by Carole B. Boyd, M.D., 2000."],"prefercite_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003e[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Waitman T. Willey Papers, A\u0026amp;M 0003, West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"prefercite_tesim":["[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Waitman T. Willey Papers, A\u0026M 0003, West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia."],"relatedmaterial_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003e1361\u003c/p\u003e  "],"relatedmaterial_heading_ssm":["Related A\u0026M Collections"],"relatedmaterial_tesim":["1361"],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003ePapers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eSeries include:\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eSeries 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied, 1840–1898, boxes 1-4\nSeries 1b. Incoming Correspondence -- Non-Transcribed/Not Copied, 1833–1900, boxes 4-16\nSeries 2. Financial Records, 1837–1869, boxes 17-18\nSeries 3. Legal Papers, 1820–1856, boxes 19-20\nSeries 4. W.T. Willey's Diary, 1830–1908, boxes 21-22\nSeries 5. Miscellaneous, 1827-1917, undated, box 22 and unboxed\u003c/p\u003e  "],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Contents"],"scopecontent_tesim":["Papers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material.","Series include:","Series 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied, 1840–1898, boxes 1-4\nSeries 1b. Incoming Correspondence -- Non-Transcribed/Not Copied, 1833–1900, boxes 4-16\nSeries 2. Financial Records, 1837–1869, boxes 17-18\nSeries 3. Legal Papers, 1820–1856, boxes 19-20\nSeries 4. W.T. Willey's Diary, 1830–1908, boxes 21-22\nSeries 5. Miscellaneous, 1827-1917, undated, box 22 and unboxed"],"userestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003ePermission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the \u003ca href=\"https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu/visit/permissions-and-copyright\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ePermissions and Copyright page\u003c/a\u003e on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"userestrict_heading_ssm":["Conditions Governing Use"],"userestrict_tesim":["Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website."],"abstract_html_tesm":["\u003cabstract id=\"aspace_18cd3685d4dadbc9e748f60d929a78ab\"\u003ePapers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material. For more information about Willey, see the Historical Note.\u003c/abstract\u003e\n    "],"abstract_tesim":["Papers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material. For more information about Willey, see the Historical Note."],"physloc_html_tesm":["\u003cphysloc id=\"aspace_5cf97afe325843f43df11ef15816113b\"\u003eWest Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536  / URL: \u003ca href=\"https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu/\"\u003eWest Virginia \u0026amp; Regional History Center\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/physloc\u003e\n    "],"physloc_tesim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. 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(John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Willey, William P. (William Patrick)"],"persname_ssim":["Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, William P. (William Patrick)"],"names_ssim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center","United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)","Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, William P. 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Willey Papers, 1820/1917","Series 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied [boxes 1-4], 1840/1898"],"parent_unittitles_tesim":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917","Series 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied [boxes 1-4], 1840/1898"],"normalized_date_ssm":["1863"],"unitdate_inclusive_ssm":["1863"],"level_ssm":["File"],"level_ssim":["File"],"component_level_isim":[2],"sort_isi":27,"repository_ssim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center"],"collection_ssim":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917"],"containers_ssim":["Box 2","Folder 8"],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"child_component_count_isi":0,"parent_access_restrict_tesm":["No special access restriction applies.","Researchers may access digitized materials by requesting to view the materials in person by appointment or remotely by contacting the West Virginia \u0026 Regional History Center reference department."],"parent_access_terms_tesm":["Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website."],"date_range_isim":[1863],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eTopics include:\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e Politics: Items 499, 501-513, 515 [item 514 is missing] (state convention, speeches by WTW, applications for jobs, slavery, property) \u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eGovernment/War: Items 500, 507-508, 517 (Union Army in West Virginia, battles in Monongalia County) \u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eFamily and Friends: Items 502, 504, 506, 517 (Morgantown news and battles in Monongalia County, smallpox outbreak in Morgantown) \u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLaw/Business: Item 516\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Contents"],"scopecontent_tesim":["Topics include:","Politics: Items 499, 501-513, 515 [item 514 is missing] (state convention, speeches by WTW, applications for jobs, slavery, property)","Government/War: Items 500, 507-508, 517 (Union Army in West Virginia, battles in Monongalia County)","Family and Friends: Items 502, 504, 506, 517 (Morgantown news and battles in Monongalia County, smallpox outbreak in Morgantown)","Law/Business: Item 516"],"_nest_path_":"/components#0/components#25","timestamp":"2026-09-01T16:09:24.514Z","collection":{"numFound":1,"start":0,"numFoundExact":true,"docs":[{"id":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","ead_ssi":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","_root_":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","_nest_parent_":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","ead_source_url_ssi":"data/oai/WVU/repositories_2_resources_2345.xml","aspace_url_ssi":"https://archives.lib.wvu.edu/ark:/99999/196411","title_ssm":["Waitman T. Willey Papers"],"title_tesim":["Waitman T. Willey Papers"],"unitdate_ssm":["1820-1917"],"unitdate_inclusive_ssm":["1820-1917"],"normalized_date_ssm":["1820/1917"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917"],"text":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917","A\u0026M 0003","Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","/repositories/2/resources/2345","Monongalia County (W. Va.)","United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government","United States -- Politics and government","Politics and government.","Secession","Temperance","Politicians -- United States","Statehood politics -- West Virginia","Diaries","No special access restriction applies.","Researchers may access digitized materials by requesting to view the materials in person by appointment or remotely by contacting the West Virginia \u0026 Regional History Center reference department.","Waitman Thomas Willey, West Virginia pioneer, lawyer, Methodist churchman, and United States Senator, was born October 18, 1811, at Buffalo Creek, Virginia (near Fairmont in Marion County, West Virginia), the son of William Willey, Jr., former Revolutionary War soldier under General Anthony Wayne, and Sarah Barnes, a member of a prominent family of northwestern Virginia.","Willey's first twelve years were spent at Buffalo Creek where his father's farm was a frontier homestead isolated from the few towns in the area. In 1823, the family (which now included stepmother, Mary McCormack Willey) moved to a farm on the Monongahela River in Monongalia County near present-day Rivesville. Here, Willey received a rudimentary formal education with readings from the classics and the Bible.","In 1827, Willey walked the forty miles from his home to Uniontown, Pennsylvania to attend Madison College (later Allegheny College) where he excelled in classical studies and mathematics. After three and one half years he received a B.A. degree, and then read law in the office of Philip Doddridge and John Campbell in Wellsburg, Brooke County, Virginia. He was admitted to the bar in 1833; in addition, he received an M.A. degree from Augusta College in Kentucky in 1834.","Willey settled in Morgantown, Monongalia County, Virginia, in 1832, with his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Patrick Ray, a prominent citizen of Morgantown who was Clerk of the Court and a founder of the Morgantown Female Academy (to which he gave his home). The Willey family subsequently included seven children: Mary Ellen, wife of Dr. M.L. Casselberry of Morgantown; Sarah Barnes, wife of J. Marshall Hagans, distinguished judge; William Patrick, professor of law at West Virginia University; Julia, wife of Major William McGrew, Union Army officer, West Virginia state senator, and Morgantown banker; Thomas Ray, United States government clerk in the Interior Department; Louisa, unmarried, who remained at home; and John Byrne, deputy clerk of Monongalia County.","Waitman T. Willey maintained a successful and lucrative law practice in Morgantown for 67 years. He served as Monongalia County Clerk and clerk of the Circuit Superior Court from 1841 to 1852, and was Morgantown's first Superintendent of Schools. Willey had an early interest in politics and was an active member of the conservative Whig Party: he served as an elector for the Harrison-Tyler election of 1840, was an unsuccessful Whig candidate for Congress in 1852, an unsuccessful Opposition (Whig Party) candidate for Lt. Governor of Virginia in 1859, and a delegate to the Constitutional Union Party convention which nominated Bell and Everett for President and Vice President in 1860. In 1850, Willey had been a delegate to the Virginia Constitutional Convention where he championed western Virginia interests, white manhood suffrage, and governmental reforms. Again, in 1861, he was a delegate to the Virginia Convention that voted for secession (Willey voted against it). In the subsequent, Pro-Union, reorganized legislature (the \"Restored Government of Virginia at Wheeling\"), Willey was elected to Congress to complete the term of James M. Mason for two years. While in the Senate, Willey actively introduced legislation to admit West Virginia into the Union. The Reorganized Government proposed a new state Constitution that Willey supported in Congress in 1862. Following revision of the proposal to include emancipation of slaves and a favorable referendum by the West Virginia voters, statehood was achieved in 1863.","Willey returned to the Senate in 1863 and was elected to the full six-year term in 1865. During his tenure, he initially opposed Republican lawmakers over issues involving the war, confiscation of rebel property, and slavery. But because of his \"ardent support\" of the Union, Willey's political views evolved through the years to support Republican aims, including national emancipation of slaves and disenfranchisement of disloyal citizens. He considered the latter appropriate in order to keep \"southern sympathizers\" from gaining control of West Virginia and perhaps reuniting the state with Virginia. Although Willey was aligned with conservative Republicans in the Senate, he did vote for the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Reconstruction Acts, the removal of President Johnson, and the 14th and 15th Amendments. He opposed the Freedman's Bureau and the Enforcement Acts of 1870. Many in West Virginia opposed Republican Party policies, and in 1870 the party lost control of state government. Willey left the Senate in 1871 and returned to his Morgantown law practice and the County Clerkship (1882-1890).","Willey remained active in politics throughout his later life. He served in the 1872 State Constitutional Convention and supported Republican Party policies and candidates, and was chairman of the West Virginia delegation to the GOP National Convention in 1876. He also continued his active service in the Methodist Church where he was an advocate for lay participation in the national conference and served as delegate from West Virginia in 1880. Willey was much in demand as a public speaker throughout his life -- he was called, \"old man eloquent\" -- because of his commanding appearance, \"thrilling\" voice, evident sincerity, and knowledge. He spoke frequently on Temperance, Methodist beliefs, politics, the classics, and history. He collected a large library, wrote numerous articles and a biography of Philip Doddridge. He received several honorary degrees, including LLD from Allegheny College and West Virginia University. Willey's last public appearance was at the funeral of Governor Pierpont when he gave a \"stirring\" eulogy. He was 88 years of age.","Waitman T. Willey, \"Grand Old Man of West Virginia,\" died May 2, 1900, at his home, Chancery Hill, in Morgantown. His funeral was the largest ever held in Morgantown to that time. He was interred in Oak Grove Cemetery.","Notes:\n1. In June, 1861, Willey was not present at the second convention in Wheeling at which the Reorganized Government of Virginia was established in preparation for statehood. His father and stepmother were fatally ill at the time and he was at home.","2. Willey never wrote a history of the statehood deliberations, politics, or conventions. He felt he was too biased to do justice to the history. No history was ever written by the participants.","Bibliography:\n1. Ambler, C.H.; Waitman Thomas Willey, 1954, Standard Printing and Publishing C., Huntington, W. Va.","2. Corson, L.D.; Legislative Career of Waitman T. Willey, 1942, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","3. Moore, J.T.; \"Waitman T. Willey,\" in Dictionary of American Biography, p. 426.","4. Obituary, Morgantown Weekly Post, Thursday, May 10, 1900.","5. Ware, A.F.; A Study of the Rhetoric of Waitman T. Willey in the West Virginia Statehood Movement, 1952, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","6. White, L.C.; West Virginia and Her U.S. Senators in the Impeachment of President Andrew Johnson, 1928, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","7. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Liberty and Union,\" 1854, Wheeling, J.E. Wharton, publisher. A speech.","8. Willey, Waitman T.; address delivered before the Constitutional Convention of West Virginia in the City of Wheeling, 12 February 1863.","9. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Historical Address,\" Celebration of the Municipal Centennial of Morgantown, 1885.","10. Willey, William P.; The Formation of the State of West Virginia, 1901, The News Publishing Co., Wheeling, W. Va.","Prepared by Carole B. Boyd, M.D., 2000.","1361","Papers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material.","Series include:","Series 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied, 1840–1898, boxes 1-4\nSeries 1b. Incoming Correspondence -- Non-Transcribed/Not Copied, 1833–1900, boxes 4-16\nSeries 2. Financial Records, 1837–1869, boxes 17-18\nSeries 3. Legal Papers, 1820–1856, boxes 19-20\nSeries 4. W.T. Willey's Diary, 1830–1908, boxes 21-22\nSeries 5. Miscellaneous, 1827-1917, undated, box 22 and unboxed","Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website.","Papers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material. For more information about Willey, see the Historical Note.","West Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536  / URL: West Virginia \u0026 Regional History Center","West Virginia and Regional History Center","United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)","Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. 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Willey Papers, 1820/1917"],"level_ssm":["collection"],"level_ssim":["Collection"],"unitid_ssm":["A\u0026M 0003","Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","/repositories/2/resources/2345"],"unitid_tesim":["A\u0026M 0003","Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","/repositories/2/resources/2345"],"repository_ssm":["West Virginia and Regional History Center"],"repository_ssim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center"],"geogname_ssm":["Monongalia County (W. Va.)","United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government","United States -- Politics and government"],"geogname_ssim":["Monongalia County (W. Va.)","United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government","United States -- Politics and government"],"places_ssim":["Monongalia County (W. Va.)","United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government","United States -- Politics and government"],"creator_ssm":["Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900"],"creator_ssim":["Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900"],"creator_persname_ssim":["Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, William P. (William Patrick)"],"creator_corpname_ssim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center","United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)"],"creators_ssim":["Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, William P. (William Patrick)","West Virginia and Regional History Center","United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)"],"access_terms_ssm":["Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website."],"access_subjects_ssim":["Politics and government.","Secession","Temperance","Politicians -- United States","Statehood politics -- West Virginia","Diaries"],"access_subjects_ssm":["Politics and government.","Secession","Temperance","Politicians -- United States","Statehood politics -- West Virginia","Diaries"],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"extent_ssm":["9.2 Linear Feet Summary: 9 ft. 2 1/4 in. (22 document cases, 5 in. each); (1 oversize folder, 1/4 in.)"],"extent_tesim":["9.2 Linear Feet Summary: 9 ft. 2 1/4 in. (22 document cases, 5 in. each); (1 oversize folder, 1/4 in.)"],"genreform_ssim":["Diaries"],"date_range_isim":[1820,1821,1822,1823,1824,1825,1826,1827,1828,1829,1830,1831,1832,1833,1834,1835,1836,1837,1838,1839,1840,1841,1842,1843,1844,1845,1846,1847,1848,1849,1850,1851,1852,1853,1854,1855,1856,1857,1858,1859,1860,1861,1862,1863,1864,1865,1866,1867,1868,1869,1870,1871,1872,1873,1874,1875,1876,1877,1878,1879,1880,1881,1882,1883,1884,1885,1886,1887,1888,1889,1890,1891,1892,1893,1894,1895,1896,1897,1898,1899,1900,1901,1902,1903,1904,1905,1906,1907,1908,1909,1910,1911,1912,1913,1914,1915,1916,1917],"accessrestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eNo special access restriction applies.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eResearchers may access digitized materials by requesting to view the materials in person by appointment or remotely by contacting the \u003ca href=\"https://westvirginia.libanswers.com/wvrhc\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eWest Virginia \u0026amp; Regional History Center reference department\u003c/a\u003e. \u003c/p\u003e  "],"accessrestrict_heading_ssm":["Conditions Governing Access"],"accessrestrict_tesim":["No special access restriction applies.","Researchers may access digitized materials by requesting to view the materials in person by appointment or remotely by contacting the West Virginia \u0026 Regional History Center reference department."],"bioghist_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eWaitman Thomas Willey, West Virginia pioneer, lawyer, Methodist churchman, and United States Senator, was born October 18, 1811, at Buffalo Creek, Virginia (near Fairmont in Marion County, West Virginia), the son of William Willey, Jr., former Revolutionary War soldier under General Anthony Wayne, and Sarah Barnes, a member of a prominent family of northwestern Virginia.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWilley's first twelve years were spent at Buffalo Creek where his father's farm was a frontier homestead isolated from the few towns in the area. In 1823, the family (which now included stepmother, Mary McCormack Willey) moved to a farm on the Monongahela River in Monongalia County near present-day Rivesville. Here, Willey received a rudimentary formal education with readings from the classics and the Bible.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eIn 1827, Willey walked the forty miles from his home to Uniontown, Pennsylvania to attend Madison College (later Allegheny College) where he excelled in classical studies and mathematics. After three and one half years he received a B.A. degree, and then read law in the office of Philip Doddridge and John Campbell in Wellsburg, Brooke County, Virginia. He was admitted to the bar in 1833; in addition, he received an M.A. degree from Augusta College in Kentucky in 1834.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWilley settled in Morgantown, Monongalia County, Virginia, in 1832, with his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Patrick Ray, a prominent citizen of Morgantown who was Clerk of the Court and a founder of the Morgantown Female Academy (to which he gave his home). The Willey family subsequently included seven children: Mary Ellen, wife of Dr. M.L. Casselberry of Morgantown; Sarah Barnes, wife of J. Marshall Hagans, distinguished judge; William Patrick, professor of law at West Virginia University; Julia, wife of Major William McGrew, Union Army officer, West Virginia state senator, and Morgantown banker; Thomas Ray, United States government clerk in the Interior Department; Louisa, unmarried, who remained at home; and John Byrne, deputy clerk of Monongalia County.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWaitman T. Willey maintained a successful and lucrative law practice in Morgantown for 67 years. He served as Monongalia County Clerk and clerk of the Circuit Superior Court from 1841 to 1852, and was Morgantown's first Superintendent of Schools. Willey had an early interest in politics and was an active member of the conservative Whig Party: he served as an elector for the Harrison-Tyler election of 1840, was an unsuccessful Whig candidate for Congress in 1852, an unsuccessful Opposition (Whig Party) candidate for Lt. Governor of Virginia in 1859, and a delegate to the Constitutional Union Party convention which nominated Bell and Everett for President and Vice President in 1860. In 1850, Willey had been a delegate to the Virginia Constitutional Convention where he championed western Virginia interests, white manhood suffrage, and governmental reforms. Again, in 1861, he was a delegate to the Virginia Convention that voted for secession (Willey voted against it). In the subsequent, Pro-Union, reorganized legislature (the \"Restored Government of Virginia at Wheeling\"), Willey was elected to Congress to complete the term of James M. Mason for two years. While in the Senate, Willey actively introduced legislation to admit West Virginia into the Union. The Reorganized Government proposed a new state Constitution that Willey supported in Congress in 1862. Following revision of the proposal to include emancipation of slaves and a favorable referendum by the West Virginia voters, statehood was achieved in 1863.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWilley returned to the Senate in 1863 and was elected to the full six-year term in 1865. During his tenure, he initially opposed Republican lawmakers over issues involving the war, confiscation of rebel property, and slavery. But because of his \"ardent support\" of the Union, Willey's political views evolved through the years to support Republican aims, including national emancipation of slaves and disenfranchisement of disloyal citizens. He considered the latter appropriate in order to keep \"southern sympathizers\" from gaining control of West Virginia and perhaps reuniting the state with Virginia. Although Willey was aligned with conservative Republicans in the Senate, he did vote for the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Reconstruction Acts, the removal of President Johnson, and the 14th and 15th Amendments. He opposed the Freedman's Bureau and the Enforcement Acts of 1870. Many in West Virginia opposed Republican Party policies, and in 1870 the party lost control of state government. Willey left the Senate in 1871 and returned to his Morgantown law practice and the County Clerkship (1882-1890).\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWilley remained active in politics throughout his later life. He served in the 1872 State Constitutional Convention and supported Republican Party policies and candidates, and was chairman of the West Virginia delegation to the GOP National Convention in 1876. He also continued his active service in the Methodist Church where he was an advocate for lay participation in the national conference and served as delegate from West Virginia in 1880. Willey was much in demand as a public speaker throughout his life -- he was called, \"old man eloquent\" -- because of his commanding appearance, \"thrilling\" voice, evident sincerity, and knowledge. He spoke frequently on Temperance, Methodist beliefs, politics, the classics, and history. He collected a large library, wrote numerous articles and a biography of Philip Doddridge. He received several honorary degrees, including LLD from Allegheny College and West Virginia University. Willey's last public appearance was at the funeral of Governor Pierpont when he gave a \"stirring\" eulogy. He was 88 years of age.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWaitman T. Willey, \"Grand Old Man of West Virginia,\" died May 2, 1900, at his home, Chancery Hill, in Morgantown. His funeral was the largest ever held in Morgantown to that time. He was interred in Oak Grove Cemetery.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eNotes:\n1. In June, 1861, Willey was not present at the second convention in Wheeling at which the Reorganized Government of Virginia was established in preparation for statehood. His father and stepmother were fatally ill at the time and he was at home.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e2. Willey never wrote a history of the statehood deliberations, politics, or conventions. He felt he was too biased to do justice to the history. No history was ever written by the participants.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eBibliography:\n1. Ambler, C.H.; \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eWaitman Thomas Willey\u003c/emph\u003e, 1954, Standard Printing and Publishing C., Huntington, W. Va.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e2. Corson, L.D.; \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eLegislative Career of Waitman T. Willey\u003c/emph\u003e, 1942, master's thesis, West Virginia University.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e3. Moore, J.T.; \"Waitman T. Willey,\" in \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eDictionary of American Biography\u003c/emph\u003e, p. 426.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e4. \u003cemph render=\"italic\"\u003eObituary\u003c/emph\u003e, \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eMorgantown Weekly Post\u003c/emph\u003e, Thursday, May 10, 1900.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e5. Ware, A.F.; \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eA Study of the Rhetoric of Waitman T. Willey in the West Virginia Statehood Movement\u003c/emph\u003e, 1952, master's thesis, West Virginia University.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e6. White, L.C.; \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eWest Virginia and Her U.S. Senators in the Impeachment of President Andrew Johnson\u003c/emph\u003e, 1928, master's thesis, West Virginia University.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e7. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Liberty and Union,\" 1854, Wheeling, J.E. Wharton, publisher. A speech.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e8. Willey, Waitman T.; address delivered before the Constitutional Convention of West Virginia in the City of Wheeling, 12 February 1863.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e9. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Historical Address,\" Celebration of the Municipal Centennial of Morgantown, 1885.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e10. Willey, William P.; The Formation of the State of West Virginia, 1901, The News Publishing Co., Wheeling, W. Va.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003ePrepared by Carole B. Boyd, M.D., 2000.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"bioghist_heading_ssm":["Biographical / Historical"],"bioghist_tesim":["Waitman Thomas Willey, West Virginia pioneer, lawyer, Methodist churchman, and United States Senator, was born October 18, 1811, at Buffalo Creek, Virginia (near Fairmont in Marion County, West Virginia), the son of William Willey, Jr., former Revolutionary War soldier under General Anthony Wayne, and Sarah Barnes, a member of a prominent family of northwestern Virginia.","Willey's first twelve years were spent at Buffalo Creek where his father's farm was a frontier homestead isolated from the few towns in the area. In 1823, the family (which now included stepmother, Mary McCormack Willey) moved to a farm on the Monongahela River in Monongalia County near present-day Rivesville. Here, Willey received a rudimentary formal education with readings from the classics and the Bible.","In 1827, Willey walked the forty miles from his home to Uniontown, Pennsylvania to attend Madison College (later Allegheny College) where he excelled in classical studies and mathematics. After three and one half years he received a B.A. degree, and then read law in the office of Philip Doddridge and John Campbell in Wellsburg, Brooke County, Virginia. He was admitted to the bar in 1833; in addition, he received an M.A. degree from Augusta College in Kentucky in 1834.","Willey settled in Morgantown, Monongalia County, Virginia, in 1832, with his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Patrick Ray, a prominent citizen of Morgantown who was Clerk of the Court and a founder of the Morgantown Female Academy (to which he gave his home). The Willey family subsequently included seven children: Mary Ellen, wife of Dr. M.L. Casselberry of Morgantown; Sarah Barnes, wife of J. Marshall Hagans, distinguished judge; William Patrick, professor of law at West Virginia University; Julia, wife of Major William McGrew, Union Army officer, West Virginia state senator, and Morgantown banker; Thomas Ray, United States government clerk in the Interior Department; Louisa, unmarried, who remained at home; and John Byrne, deputy clerk of Monongalia County.","Waitman T. Willey maintained a successful and lucrative law practice in Morgantown for 67 years. He served as Monongalia County Clerk and clerk of the Circuit Superior Court from 1841 to 1852, and was Morgantown's first Superintendent of Schools. Willey had an early interest in politics and was an active member of the conservative Whig Party: he served as an elector for the Harrison-Tyler election of 1840, was an unsuccessful Whig candidate for Congress in 1852, an unsuccessful Opposition (Whig Party) candidate for Lt. Governor of Virginia in 1859, and a delegate to the Constitutional Union Party convention which nominated Bell and Everett for President and Vice President in 1860. In 1850, Willey had been a delegate to the Virginia Constitutional Convention where he championed western Virginia interests, white manhood suffrage, and governmental reforms. Again, in 1861, he was a delegate to the Virginia Convention that voted for secession (Willey voted against it). In the subsequent, Pro-Union, reorganized legislature (the \"Restored Government of Virginia at Wheeling\"), Willey was elected to Congress to complete the term of James M. Mason for two years. While in the Senate, Willey actively introduced legislation to admit West Virginia into the Union. The Reorganized Government proposed a new state Constitution that Willey supported in Congress in 1862. Following revision of the proposal to include emancipation of slaves and a favorable referendum by the West Virginia voters, statehood was achieved in 1863.","Willey returned to the Senate in 1863 and was elected to the full six-year term in 1865. During his tenure, he initially opposed Republican lawmakers over issues involving the war, confiscation of rebel property, and slavery. But because of his \"ardent support\" of the Union, Willey's political views evolved through the years to support Republican aims, including national emancipation of slaves and disenfranchisement of disloyal citizens. He considered the latter appropriate in order to keep \"southern sympathizers\" from gaining control of West Virginia and perhaps reuniting the state with Virginia. Although Willey was aligned with conservative Republicans in the Senate, he did vote for the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Reconstruction Acts, the removal of President Johnson, and the 14th and 15th Amendments. He opposed the Freedman's Bureau and the Enforcement Acts of 1870. Many in West Virginia opposed Republican Party policies, and in 1870 the party lost control of state government. Willey left the Senate in 1871 and returned to his Morgantown law practice and the County Clerkship (1882-1890).","Willey remained active in politics throughout his later life. He served in the 1872 State Constitutional Convention and supported Republican Party policies and candidates, and was chairman of the West Virginia delegation to the GOP National Convention in 1876. He also continued his active service in the Methodist Church where he was an advocate for lay participation in the national conference and served as delegate from West Virginia in 1880. Willey was much in demand as a public speaker throughout his life -- he was called, \"old man eloquent\" -- because of his commanding appearance, \"thrilling\" voice, evident sincerity, and knowledge. He spoke frequently on Temperance, Methodist beliefs, politics, the classics, and history. He collected a large library, wrote numerous articles and a biography of Philip Doddridge. He received several honorary degrees, including LLD from Allegheny College and West Virginia University. Willey's last public appearance was at the funeral of Governor Pierpont when he gave a \"stirring\" eulogy. He was 88 years of age.","Waitman T. Willey, \"Grand Old Man of West Virginia,\" died May 2, 1900, at his home, Chancery Hill, in Morgantown. His funeral was the largest ever held in Morgantown to that time. He was interred in Oak Grove Cemetery.","Notes:\n1. In June, 1861, Willey was not present at the second convention in Wheeling at which the Reorganized Government of Virginia was established in preparation for statehood. His father and stepmother were fatally ill at the time and he was at home.","2. Willey never wrote a history of the statehood deliberations, politics, or conventions. He felt he was too biased to do justice to the history. No history was ever written by the participants.","Bibliography:\n1. Ambler, C.H.; Waitman Thomas Willey, 1954, Standard Printing and Publishing C., Huntington, W. Va.","2. Corson, L.D.; Legislative Career of Waitman T. Willey, 1942, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","3. Moore, J.T.; \"Waitman T. Willey,\" in Dictionary of American Biography, p. 426.","4. Obituary, Morgantown Weekly Post, Thursday, May 10, 1900.","5. Ware, A.F.; A Study of the Rhetoric of Waitman T. Willey in the West Virginia Statehood Movement, 1952, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","6. White, L.C.; West Virginia and Her U.S. Senators in the Impeachment of President Andrew Johnson, 1928, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","7. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Liberty and Union,\" 1854, Wheeling, J.E. Wharton, publisher. A speech.","8. Willey, Waitman T.; address delivered before the Constitutional Convention of West Virginia in the City of Wheeling, 12 February 1863.","9. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Historical Address,\" Celebration of the Municipal Centennial of Morgantown, 1885.","10. Willey, William P.; The Formation of the State of West Virginia, 1901, The News Publishing Co., Wheeling, W. Va.","Prepared by Carole B. Boyd, M.D., 2000."],"prefercite_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003e[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Waitman T. Willey Papers, A\u0026amp;M 0003, West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"prefercite_tesim":["[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Waitman T. Willey Papers, A\u0026M 0003, West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia."],"relatedmaterial_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003e1361\u003c/p\u003e  "],"relatedmaterial_heading_ssm":["Related A\u0026M Collections"],"relatedmaterial_tesim":["1361"],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003ePapers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eSeries include:\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eSeries 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied, 1840–1898, boxes 1-4\nSeries 1b. Incoming Correspondence -- Non-Transcribed/Not Copied, 1833–1900, boxes 4-16\nSeries 2. Financial Records, 1837–1869, boxes 17-18\nSeries 3. Legal Papers, 1820–1856, boxes 19-20\nSeries 4. W.T. Willey's Diary, 1830–1908, boxes 21-22\nSeries 5. Miscellaneous, 1827-1917, undated, box 22 and unboxed\u003c/p\u003e  "],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Contents"],"scopecontent_tesim":["Papers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material.","Series include:","Series 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied, 1840–1898, boxes 1-4\nSeries 1b. Incoming Correspondence -- Non-Transcribed/Not Copied, 1833–1900, boxes 4-16\nSeries 2. Financial Records, 1837–1869, boxes 17-18\nSeries 3. Legal Papers, 1820–1856, boxes 19-20\nSeries 4. W.T. Willey's Diary, 1830–1908, boxes 21-22\nSeries 5. Miscellaneous, 1827-1917, undated, box 22 and unboxed"],"userestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003ePermission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the \u003ca href=\"https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu/visit/permissions-and-copyright\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ePermissions and Copyright page\u003c/a\u003e on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"userestrict_heading_ssm":["Conditions Governing Use"],"userestrict_tesim":["Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website."],"abstract_html_tesm":["\u003cabstract id=\"aspace_18cd3685d4dadbc9e748f60d929a78ab\"\u003ePapers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material. For more information about Willey, see the Historical Note.\u003c/abstract\u003e\n    "],"abstract_tesim":["Papers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material. For more information about Willey, see the Historical Note."],"physloc_html_tesm":["\u003cphysloc id=\"aspace_5cf97afe325843f43df11ef15816113b\"\u003eWest Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536  / URL: \u003ca href=\"https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu/\"\u003eWest Virginia \u0026amp; Regional History Center\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/physloc\u003e\n    "],"physloc_tesim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536  / URL: West Virginia \u0026 Regional History Center"],"corpname_ssim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center","United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)"],"names_coll_ssim":["United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. 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Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied [boxes 1-4], 1840/1898","Box 2","Folder 9","Topics include:","Politics: Items 519-527, 529-530, 532-534, 536, 539, 541 (WTW elected to Senate, applications for government jobs)","Government/War: Items 528, 535, 540 (Governor Boreman on lack of government funds [528; plea for a soldier to be allowed to go home; court martial of a writer who was critical of a Union general)","Family and Friends: Items 518, 531, 537-538 (Jones Imboden raid on the Morgantown and Fairmont area [item 518]; relative in Ohio talks of the Copperheads; church matters)"],"parent_unittitles_ssm":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917","Series 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied [boxes 1-4], 1840/1898"],"parent_unittitles_tesim":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917","Series 1a. 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For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website."],"date_range_isim":[1863],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eTopics include:\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e Politics: Items 519-527, 529-530, 532-534, 536, 539, 541 (WTW elected to Senate, applications for government jobs) \u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eGovernment/War: Items 528, 535, 540 (Governor Boreman on lack of government funds [528; plea for a soldier to be allowed to go home; court martial of a writer who was critical of a Union general) \u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eFamily and Friends: Items 518, 531, 537-538 (Jones Imboden raid on the Morgantown and Fairmont area [item 518]; relative in Ohio talks of the Copperheads; church matters)\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Contents"],"scopecontent_tesim":["Topics include:","Politics: Items 519-527, 529-530, 532-534, 536, 539, 541 (WTW elected to Senate, applications for government jobs)","Government/War: Items 528, 535, 540 (Governor Boreman on lack of government funds [528; plea for a soldier to be allowed to go home; court martial of a writer who was critical of a Union general)","Family and Friends: Items 518, 531, 537-538 (Jones Imboden raid on the Morgantown and Fairmont area [item 518]; relative in Ohio talks of the Copperheads; church matters)"],"_nest_path_":"/components#0/components#26","timestamp":"2026-09-01T16:09:24.514Z","collection":{"numFound":1,"start":0,"numFoundExact":true,"docs":[{"id":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","ead_ssi":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","_root_":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","_nest_parent_":"wvmturhc_repositories_2_resources_2345","ead_source_url_ssi":"data/oai/WVU/repositories_2_resources_2345.xml","aspace_url_ssi":"https://archives.lib.wvu.edu/ark:/99999/196411","title_ssm":["Waitman T. Willey Papers"],"title_tesim":["Waitman T. Willey Papers"],"unitdate_ssm":["1820-1917"],"unitdate_inclusive_ssm":["1820-1917"],"normalized_date_ssm":["1820/1917"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917"],"text":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917","A\u0026M 0003","Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","Previous Archival Resource Key","/repositories/2/resources/2345","Monongalia County (W. Va.)","United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government","United States -- Politics and government","Politics and government.","Secession","Temperance","Politicians -- United States","Statehood politics -- West Virginia","Diaries","No special access restriction applies.","Researchers may access digitized materials by requesting to view the materials in person by appointment or remotely by contacting the West Virginia \u0026 Regional History Center reference department.","Waitman Thomas Willey, West Virginia pioneer, lawyer, Methodist churchman, and United States Senator, was born October 18, 1811, at Buffalo Creek, Virginia (near Fairmont in Marion County, West Virginia), the son of William Willey, Jr., former Revolutionary War soldier under General Anthony Wayne, and Sarah Barnes, a member of a prominent family of northwestern Virginia.","Willey's first twelve years were spent at Buffalo Creek where his father's farm was a frontier homestead isolated from the few towns in the area. In 1823, the family (which now included stepmother, Mary McCormack Willey) moved to a farm on the Monongahela River in Monongalia County near present-day Rivesville. Here, Willey received a rudimentary formal education with readings from the classics and the Bible.","In 1827, Willey walked the forty miles from his home to Uniontown, Pennsylvania to attend Madison College (later Allegheny College) where he excelled in classical studies and mathematics. After three and one half years he received a B.A. degree, and then read law in the office of Philip Doddridge and John Campbell in Wellsburg, Brooke County, Virginia. He was admitted to the bar in 1833; in addition, he received an M.A. degree from Augusta College in Kentucky in 1834.","Willey settled in Morgantown, Monongalia County, Virginia, in 1832, with his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Patrick Ray, a prominent citizen of Morgantown who was Clerk of the Court and a founder of the Morgantown Female Academy (to which he gave his home). The Willey family subsequently included seven children: Mary Ellen, wife of Dr. M.L. Casselberry of Morgantown; Sarah Barnes, wife of J. Marshall Hagans, distinguished judge; William Patrick, professor of law at West Virginia University; Julia, wife of Major William McGrew, Union Army officer, West Virginia state senator, and Morgantown banker; Thomas Ray, United States government clerk in the Interior Department; Louisa, unmarried, who remained at home; and John Byrne, deputy clerk of Monongalia County.","Waitman T. Willey maintained a successful and lucrative law practice in Morgantown for 67 years. He served as Monongalia County Clerk and clerk of the Circuit Superior Court from 1841 to 1852, and was Morgantown's first Superintendent of Schools. Willey had an early interest in politics and was an active member of the conservative Whig Party: he served as an elector for the Harrison-Tyler election of 1840, was an unsuccessful Whig candidate for Congress in 1852, an unsuccessful Opposition (Whig Party) candidate for Lt. Governor of Virginia in 1859, and a delegate to the Constitutional Union Party convention which nominated Bell and Everett for President and Vice President in 1860. In 1850, Willey had been a delegate to the Virginia Constitutional Convention where he championed western Virginia interests, white manhood suffrage, and governmental reforms. Again, in 1861, he was a delegate to the Virginia Convention that voted for secession (Willey voted against it). In the subsequent, Pro-Union, reorganized legislature (the \"Restored Government of Virginia at Wheeling\"), Willey was elected to Congress to complete the term of James M. Mason for two years. While in the Senate, Willey actively introduced legislation to admit West Virginia into the Union. The Reorganized Government proposed a new state Constitution that Willey supported in Congress in 1862. Following revision of the proposal to include emancipation of slaves and a favorable referendum by the West Virginia voters, statehood was achieved in 1863.","Willey returned to the Senate in 1863 and was elected to the full six-year term in 1865. During his tenure, he initially opposed Republican lawmakers over issues involving the war, confiscation of rebel property, and slavery. But because of his \"ardent support\" of the Union, Willey's political views evolved through the years to support Republican aims, including national emancipation of slaves and disenfranchisement of disloyal citizens. He considered the latter appropriate in order to keep \"southern sympathizers\" from gaining control of West Virginia and perhaps reuniting the state with Virginia. Although Willey was aligned with conservative Republicans in the Senate, he did vote for the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Reconstruction Acts, the removal of President Johnson, and the 14th and 15th Amendments. He opposed the Freedman's Bureau and the Enforcement Acts of 1870. Many in West Virginia opposed Republican Party policies, and in 1870 the party lost control of state government. Willey left the Senate in 1871 and returned to his Morgantown law practice and the County Clerkship (1882-1890).","Willey remained active in politics throughout his later life. He served in the 1872 State Constitutional Convention and supported Republican Party policies and candidates, and was chairman of the West Virginia delegation to the GOP National Convention in 1876. He also continued his active service in the Methodist Church where he was an advocate for lay participation in the national conference and served as delegate from West Virginia in 1880. Willey was much in demand as a public speaker throughout his life -- he was called, \"old man eloquent\" -- because of his commanding appearance, \"thrilling\" voice, evident sincerity, and knowledge. He spoke frequently on Temperance, Methodist beliefs, politics, the classics, and history. He collected a large library, wrote numerous articles and a biography of Philip Doddridge. He received several honorary degrees, including LLD from Allegheny College and West Virginia University. Willey's last public appearance was at the funeral of Governor Pierpont when he gave a \"stirring\" eulogy. He was 88 years of age.","Waitman T. Willey, \"Grand Old Man of West Virginia,\" died May 2, 1900, at his home, Chancery Hill, in Morgantown. His funeral was the largest ever held in Morgantown to that time. He was interred in Oak Grove Cemetery.","Notes:\n1. In June, 1861, Willey was not present at the second convention in Wheeling at which the Reorganized Government of Virginia was established in preparation for statehood. His father and stepmother were fatally ill at the time and he was at home.","2. Willey never wrote a history of the statehood deliberations, politics, or conventions. He felt he was too biased to do justice to the history. No history was ever written by the participants.","Bibliography:\n1. Ambler, C.H.; Waitman Thomas Willey, 1954, Standard Printing and Publishing C., Huntington, W. Va.","2. Corson, L.D.; Legislative Career of Waitman T. Willey, 1942, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","3. Moore, J.T.; \"Waitman T. Willey,\" in Dictionary of American Biography, p. 426.","4. Obituary, Morgantown Weekly Post, Thursday, May 10, 1900.","5. Ware, A.F.; A Study of the Rhetoric of Waitman T. Willey in the West Virginia Statehood Movement, 1952, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","6. White, L.C.; West Virginia and Her U.S. Senators in the Impeachment of President Andrew Johnson, 1928, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","7. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Liberty and Union,\" 1854, Wheeling, J.E. Wharton, publisher. A speech.","8. Willey, Waitman T.; address delivered before the Constitutional Convention of West Virginia in the City of Wheeling, 12 February 1863.","9. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Historical Address,\" Celebration of the Municipal Centennial of Morgantown, 1885.","10. Willey, William P.; The Formation of the State of West Virginia, 1901, The News Publishing Co., Wheeling, W. Va.","Prepared by Carole B. Boyd, M.D., 2000.","1361","Papers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material.","Series include:","Series 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied, 1840–1898, boxes 1-4\nSeries 1b. Incoming Correspondence -- Non-Transcribed/Not Copied, 1833–1900, boxes 4-16\nSeries 2. Financial Records, 1837–1869, boxes 17-18\nSeries 3. Legal Papers, 1820–1856, boxes 19-20\nSeries 4. W.T. Willey's Diary, 1830–1908, boxes 21-22\nSeries 5. Miscellaneous, 1827-1917, undated, box 22 and unboxed","Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website.","Papers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material. For more information about Willey, see the Historical Note.","West Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536  / URL: West Virginia \u0026 Regional History Center","West Virginia and Regional History Center","United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)","Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, William P. (William Patrick)","English\n."],"collection_title_tesim":["Waitman T. Willey Papers, 1820/1917"],"collection_ssim":["Waitman T. 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Va.)","United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government","United States -- Politics and government"],"geogname_ssim":["Monongalia County (W. Va.)","United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865","West Virginia -- Politics and government","United States -- Politics and government"],"places_ssim":["Monongalia County (W. 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(Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, William P. (William Patrick)"],"creator_corpname_ssim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center","United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)"],"creators_ssim":["Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, William P. (William Patrick)","West Virginia and Regional History Center","United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)"],"access_terms_ssm":["Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website."],"access_subjects_ssim":["Politics and government.","Secession","Temperance","Politicians -- United States","Statehood politics -- West Virginia","Diaries"],"access_subjects_ssm":["Politics and government.","Secession","Temperance","Politicians -- United States","Statehood politics -- West Virginia","Diaries"],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"extent_ssm":["9.2 Linear Feet Summary: 9 ft. 2 1/4 in. (22 document cases, 5 in. each); (1 oversize folder, 1/4 in.)"],"extent_tesim":["9.2 Linear Feet Summary: 9 ft. 2 1/4 in. (22 document cases, 5 in. each); (1 oversize folder, 1/4 in.)"],"genreform_ssim":["Diaries"],"date_range_isim":[1820,1821,1822,1823,1824,1825,1826,1827,1828,1829,1830,1831,1832,1833,1834,1835,1836,1837,1838,1839,1840,1841,1842,1843,1844,1845,1846,1847,1848,1849,1850,1851,1852,1853,1854,1855,1856,1857,1858,1859,1860,1861,1862,1863,1864,1865,1866,1867,1868,1869,1870,1871,1872,1873,1874,1875,1876,1877,1878,1879,1880,1881,1882,1883,1884,1885,1886,1887,1888,1889,1890,1891,1892,1893,1894,1895,1896,1897,1898,1899,1900,1901,1902,1903,1904,1905,1906,1907,1908,1909,1910,1911,1912,1913,1914,1915,1916,1917],"accessrestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eNo special access restriction applies.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eResearchers may access digitized materials by requesting to view the materials in person by appointment or remotely by contacting the \u003ca href=\"https://westvirginia.libanswers.com/wvrhc\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eWest Virginia \u0026amp; Regional History Center reference department\u003c/a\u003e. \u003c/p\u003e  "],"accessrestrict_heading_ssm":["Conditions Governing Access"],"accessrestrict_tesim":["No special access restriction applies.","Researchers may access digitized materials by requesting to view the materials in person by appointment or remotely by contacting the West Virginia \u0026 Regional History Center reference department."],"bioghist_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eWaitman Thomas Willey, West Virginia pioneer, lawyer, Methodist churchman, and United States Senator, was born October 18, 1811, at Buffalo Creek, Virginia (near Fairmont in Marion County, West Virginia), the son of William Willey, Jr., former Revolutionary War soldier under General Anthony Wayne, and Sarah Barnes, a member of a prominent family of northwestern Virginia.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWilley's first twelve years were spent at Buffalo Creek where his father's farm was a frontier homestead isolated from the few towns in the area. In 1823, the family (which now included stepmother, Mary McCormack Willey) moved to a farm on the Monongahela River in Monongalia County near present-day Rivesville. Here, Willey received a rudimentary formal education with readings from the classics and the Bible.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eIn 1827, Willey walked the forty miles from his home to Uniontown, Pennsylvania to attend Madison College (later Allegheny College) where he excelled in classical studies and mathematics. After three and one half years he received a B.A. degree, and then read law in the office of Philip Doddridge and John Campbell in Wellsburg, Brooke County, Virginia. He was admitted to the bar in 1833; in addition, he received an M.A. degree from Augusta College in Kentucky in 1834.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWilley settled in Morgantown, Monongalia County, Virginia, in 1832, with his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Patrick Ray, a prominent citizen of Morgantown who was Clerk of the Court and a founder of the Morgantown Female Academy (to which he gave his home). The Willey family subsequently included seven children: Mary Ellen, wife of Dr. M.L. Casselberry of Morgantown; Sarah Barnes, wife of J. Marshall Hagans, distinguished judge; William Patrick, professor of law at West Virginia University; Julia, wife of Major William McGrew, Union Army officer, West Virginia state senator, and Morgantown banker; Thomas Ray, United States government clerk in the Interior Department; Louisa, unmarried, who remained at home; and John Byrne, deputy clerk of Monongalia County.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWaitman T. Willey maintained a successful and lucrative law practice in Morgantown for 67 years. He served as Monongalia County Clerk and clerk of the Circuit Superior Court from 1841 to 1852, and was Morgantown's first Superintendent of Schools. Willey had an early interest in politics and was an active member of the conservative Whig Party: he served as an elector for the Harrison-Tyler election of 1840, was an unsuccessful Whig candidate for Congress in 1852, an unsuccessful Opposition (Whig Party) candidate for Lt. Governor of Virginia in 1859, and a delegate to the Constitutional Union Party convention which nominated Bell and Everett for President and Vice President in 1860. In 1850, Willey had been a delegate to the Virginia Constitutional Convention where he championed western Virginia interests, white manhood suffrage, and governmental reforms. Again, in 1861, he was a delegate to the Virginia Convention that voted for secession (Willey voted against it). In the subsequent, Pro-Union, reorganized legislature (the \"Restored Government of Virginia at Wheeling\"), Willey was elected to Congress to complete the term of James M. Mason for two years. While in the Senate, Willey actively introduced legislation to admit West Virginia into the Union. The Reorganized Government proposed a new state Constitution that Willey supported in Congress in 1862. Following revision of the proposal to include emancipation of slaves and a favorable referendum by the West Virginia voters, statehood was achieved in 1863.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWilley returned to the Senate in 1863 and was elected to the full six-year term in 1865. During his tenure, he initially opposed Republican lawmakers over issues involving the war, confiscation of rebel property, and slavery. But because of his \"ardent support\" of the Union, Willey's political views evolved through the years to support Republican aims, including national emancipation of slaves and disenfranchisement of disloyal citizens. He considered the latter appropriate in order to keep \"southern sympathizers\" from gaining control of West Virginia and perhaps reuniting the state with Virginia. Although Willey was aligned with conservative Republicans in the Senate, he did vote for the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Reconstruction Acts, the removal of President Johnson, and the 14th and 15th Amendments. He opposed the Freedman's Bureau and the Enforcement Acts of 1870. Many in West Virginia opposed Republican Party policies, and in 1870 the party lost control of state government. Willey left the Senate in 1871 and returned to his Morgantown law practice and the County Clerkship (1882-1890).\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWilley remained active in politics throughout his later life. He served in the 1872 State Constitutional Convention and supported Republican Party policies and candidates, and was chairman of the West Virginia delegation to the GOP National Convention in 1876. He also continued his active service in the Methodist Church where he was an advocate for lay participation in the national conference and served as delegate from West Virginia in 1880. Willey was much in demand as a public speaker throughout his life -- he was called, \"old man eloquent\" -- because of his commanding appearance, \"thrilling\" voice, evident sincerity, and knowledge. He spoke frequently on Temperance, Methodist beliefs, politics, the classics, and history. He collected a large library, wrote numerous articles and a biography of Philip Doddridge. He received several honorary degrees, including LLD from Allegheny College and West Virginia University. Willey's last public appearance was at the funeral of Governor Pierpont when he gave a \"stirring\" eulogy. He was 88 years of age.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWaitman T. Willey, \"Grand Old Man of West Virginia,\" died May 2, 1900, at his home, Chancery Hill, in Morgantown. His funeral was the largest ever held in Morgantown to that time. He was interred in Oak Grove Cemetery.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eNotes:\n1. In June, 1861, Willey was not present at the second convention in Wheeling at which the Reorganized Government of Virginia was established in preparation for statehood. His father and stepmother were fatally ill at the time and he was at home.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e2. Willey never wrote a history of the statehood deliberations, politics, or conventions. He felt he was too biased to do justice to the history. No history was ever written by the participants.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eBibliography:\n1. Ambler, C.H.; \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eWaitman Thomas Willey\u003c/emph\u003e, 1954, Standard Printing and Publishing C., Huntington, W. Va.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e2. Corson, L.D.; \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eLegislative Career of Waitman T. Willey\u003c/emph\u003e, 1942, master's thesis, West Virginia University.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e3. Moore, J.T.; \"Waitman T. Willey,\" in \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eDictionary of American Biography\u003c/emph\u003e, p. 426.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e4. \u003cemph render=\"italic\"\u003eObituary\u003c/emph\u003e, \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eMorgantown Weekly Post\u003c/emph\u003e, Thursday, May 10, 1900.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e5. Ware, A.F.; \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eA Study of the Rhetoric of Waitman T. Willey in the West Virginia Statehood Movement\u003c/emph\u003e, 1952, master's thesis, West Virginia University.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e6. White, L.C.; \u003cemph render=\"underline\"\u003eWest Virginia and Her U.S. Senators in the Impeachment of President Andrew Johnson\u003c/emph\u003e, 1928, master's thesis, West Virginia University.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e7. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Liberty and Union,\" 1854, Wheeling, J.E. Wharton, publisher. A speech.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e8. Willey, Waitman T.; address delivered before the Constitutional Convention of West Virginia in the City of Wheeling, 12 February 1863.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e9. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Historical Address,\" Celebration of the Municipal Centennial of Morgantown, 1885.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e10. Willey, William P.; The Formation of the State of West Virginia, 1901, The News Publishing Co., Wheeling, W. Va.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003ePrepared by Carole B. Boyd, M.D., 2000.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"bioghist_heading_ssm":["Biographical / Historical"],"bioghist_tesim":["Waitman Thomas Willey, West Virginia pioneer, lawyer, Methodist churchman, and United States Senator, was born October 18, 1811, at Buffalo Creek, Virginia (near Fairmont in Marion County, West Virginia), the son of William Willey, Jr., former Revolutionary War soldier under General Anthony Wayne, and Sarah Barnes, a member of a prominent family of northwestern Virginia.","Willey's first twelve years were spent at Buffalo Creek where his father's farm was a frontier homestead isolated from the few towns in the area. In 1823, the family (which now included stepmother, Mary McCormack Willey) moved to a farm on the Monongahela River in Monongalia County near present-day Rivesville. Here, Willey received a rudimentary formal education with readings from the classics and the Bible.","In 1827, Willey walked the forty miles from his home to Uniontown, Pennsylvania to attend Madison College (later Allegheny College) where he excelled in classical studies and mathematics. After three and one half years he received a B.A. degree, and then read law in the office of Philip Doddridge and John Campbell in Wellsburg, Brooke County, Virginia. He was admitted to the bar in 1833; in addition, he received an M.A. degree from Augusta College in Kentucky in 1834.","Willey settled in Morgantown, Monongalia County, Virginia, in 1832, with his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Patrick Ray, a prominent citizen of Morgantown who was Clerk of the Court and a founder of the Morgantown Female Academy (to which he gave his home). The Willey family subsequently included seven children: Mary Ellen, wife of Dr. M.L. Casselberry of Morgantown; Sarah Barnes, wife of J. Marshall Hagans, distinguished judge; William Patrick, professor of law at West Virginia University; Julia, wife of Major William McGrew, Union Army officer, West Virginia state senator, and Morgantown banker; Thomas Ray, United States government clerk in the Interior Department; Louisa, unmarried, who remained at home; and John Byrne, deputy clerk of Monongalia County.","Waitman T. Willey maintained a successful and lucrative law practice in Morgantown for 67 years. He served as Monongalia County Clerk and clerk of the Circuit Superior Court from 1841 to 1852, and was Morgantown's first Superintendent of Schools. Willey had an early interest in politics and was an active member of the conservative Whig Party: he served as an elector for the Harrison-Tyler election of 1840, was an unsuccessful Whig candidate for Congress in 1852, an unsuccessful Opposition (Whig Party) candidate for Lt. Governor of Virginia in 1859, and a delegate to the Constitutional Union Party convention which nominated Bell and Everett for President and Vice President in 1860. In 1850, Willey had been a delegate to the Virginia Constitutional Convention where he championed western Virginia interests, white manhood suffrage, and governmental reforms. Again, in 1861, he was a delegate to the Virginia Convention that voted for secession (Willey voted against it). In the subsequent, Pro-Union, reorganized legislature (the \"Restored Government of Virginia at Wheeling\"), Willey was elected to Congress to complete the term of James M. Mason for two years. While in the Senate, Willey actively introduced legislation to admit West Virginia into the Union. The Reorganized Government proposed a new state Constitution that Willey supported in Congress in 1862. Following revision of the proposal to include emancipation of slaves and a favorable referendum by the West Virginia voters, statehood was achieved in 1863.","Willey returned to the Senate in 1863 and was elected to the full six-year term in 1865. During his tenure, he initially opposed Republican lawmakers over issues involving the war, confiscation of rebel property, and slavery. But because of his \"ardent support\" of the Union, Willey's political views evolved through the years to support Republican aims, including national emancipation of slaves and disenfranchisement of disloyal citizens. He considered the latter appropriate in order to keep \"southern sympathizers\" from gaining control of West Virginia and perhaps reuniting the state with Virginia. Although Willey was aligned with conservative Republicans in the Senate, he did vote for the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Reconstruction Acts, the removal of President Johnson, and the 14th and 15th Amendments. He opposed the Freedman's Bureau and the Enforcement Acts of 1870. Many in West Virginia opposed Republican Party policies, and in 1870 the party lost control of state government. Willey left the Senate in 1871 and returned to his Morgantown law practice and the County Clerkship (1882-1890).","Willey remained active in politics throughout his later life. He served in the 1872 State Constitutional Convention and supported Republican Party policies and candidates, and was chairman of the West Virginia delegation to the GOP National Convention in 1876. He also continued his active service in the Methodist Church where he was an advocate for lay participation in the national conference and served as delegate from West Virginia in 1880. Willey was much in demand as a public speaker throughout his life -- he was called, \"old man eloquent\" -- because of his commanding appearance, \"thrilling\" voice, evident sincerity, and knowledge. He spoke frequently on Temperance, Methodist beliefs, politics, the classics, and history. He collected a large library, wrote numerous articles and a biography of Philip Doddridge. He received several honorary degrees, including LLD from Allegheny College and West Virginia University. Willey's last public appearance was at the funeral of Governor Pierpont when he gave a \"stirring\" eulogy. He was 88 years of age.","Waitman T. Willey, \"Grand Old Man of West Virginia,\" died May 2, 1900, at his home, Chancery Hill, in Morgantown. His funeral was the largest ever held in Morgantown to that time. He was interred in Oak Grove Cemetery.","Notes:\n1. In June, 1861, Willey was not present at the second convention in Wheeling at which the Reorganized Government of Virginia was established in preparation for statehood. His father and stepmother were fatally ill at the time and he was at home.","2. Willey never wrote a history of the statehood deliberations, politics, or conventions. He felt he was too biased to do justice to the history. No history was ever written by the participants.","Bibliography:\n1. Ambler, C.H.; Waitman Thomas Willey, 1954, Standard Printing and Publishing C., Huntington, W. Va.","2. Corson, L.D.; Legislative Career of Waitman T. Willey, 1942, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","3. Moore, J.T.; \"Waitman T. Willey,\" in Dictionary of American Biography, p. 426.","4. Obituary, Morgantown Weekly Post, Thursday, May 10, 1900.","5. Ware, A.F.; A Study of the Rhetoric of Waitman T. Willey in the West Virginia Statehood Movement, 1952, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","6. White, L.C.; West Virginia and Her U.S. Senators in the Impeachment of President Andrew Johnson, 1928, master's thesis, West Virginia University.","7. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Liberty and Union,\" 1854, Wheeling, J.E. Wharton, publisher. A speech.","8. Willey, Waitman T.; address delivered before the Constitutional Convention of West Virginia in the City of Wheeling, 12 February 1863.","9. Willey, Waitman T.; \"Historical Address,\" Celebration of the Municipal Centennial of Morgantown, 1885.","10. Willey, William P.; The Formation of the State of West Virginia, 1901, The News Publishing Co., Wheeling, W. Va.","Prepared by Carole B. Boyd, M.D., 2000."],"prefercite_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003e[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Waitman T. Willey Papers, A\u0026amp;M 0003, West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"prefercite_tesim":["[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Waitman T. Willey Papers, A\u0026M 0003, West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia."],"relatedmaterial_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003e1361\u003c/p\u003e  "],"relatedmaterial_heading_ssm":["Related A\u0026M Collections"],"relatedmaterial_tesim":["1361"],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003ePapers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eSeries include:\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eSeries 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied, 1840–1898, boxes 1-4\nSeries 1b. Incoming Correspondence -- Non-Transcribed/Not Copied, 1833–1900, boxes 4-16\nSeries 2. Financial Records, 1837–1869, boxes 17-18\nSeries 3. Legal Papers, 1820–1856, boxes 19-20\nSeries 4. W.T. Willey's Diary, 1830–1908, boxes 21-22\nSeries 5. Miscellaneous, 1827-1917, undated, box 22 and unboxed\u003c/p\u003e  "],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Contents"],"scopecontent_tesim":["Papers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material.","Series include:","Series 1a. Incoming Correspondence -- Transcribed/Copied, 1840–1898, boxes 1-4\nSeries 1b. Incoming Correspondence -- Non-Transcribed/Not Copied, 1833–1900, boxes 4-16\nSeries 2. Financial Records, 1837–1869, boxes 17-18\nSeries 3. Legal Papers, 1820–1856, boxes 19-20\nSeries 4. W.T. Willey's Diary, 1830–1908, boxes 21-22\nSeries 5. Miscellaneous, 1827-1917, undated, box 22 and unboxed"],"userestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003ePermission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the \u003ca href=\"https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu/visit/permissions-and-copyright\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ePermissions and Copyright page\u003c/a\u003e on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"userestrict_heading_ssm":["Conditions Governing Use"],"userestrict_tesim":["Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website."],"abstract_html_tesm":["\u003cabstract id=\"aspace_18cd3685d4dadbc9e748f60d929a78ab\"\u003ePapers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material. For more information about Willey, see the Historical Note.\u003c/abstract\u003e\n    "],"abstract_tesim":["Papers of Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), lawyer, senator, and founding father of West Virginia. A resident of Monongalia County, Willey was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, the Secession Convention of 1861, the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, and the Constitutional Convention of 1871. He was U.S. Senator from the Restored Government of Virginia (1861-1863) and Senator from West Virginia (1863-1871). Includes several thousand pieces of incoming correspondence to Waitman T. Willey dating from 1833 to 1900 (bulk 1859-1869) concerning political, social, and economic affairs. There is much material on the temperance movement in Virginia (1845-1860), the Civil War, and the statehood movement in West Virginia. Also includes miscellaneous financial records (1837-1869) and legal papers (1820-1856); Willey's diary (entries from 1830-1899, posthumously added clippings through 1908); and other material. For more information about Willey, see the Historical Note."],"physloc_html_tesm":["\u003cphysloc id=\"aspace_5cf97afe325843f43df11ef15816113b\"\u003eWest Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536  / URL: \u003ca href=\"https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu/\"\u003eWest Virginia \u0026amp; Regional History Center\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/physloc\u003e\n    "],"physloc_tesim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536  / URL: West Virginia \u0026 Regional History Center"],"corpname_ssim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center","United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)"],"names_coll_ssim":["United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Willey, William P. (William Patrick)"],"persname_ssim":["Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, William P. (William Patrick)"],"names_ssim":["West Virginia and Regional History Center","United States. Congress. Senate","Virginia (Reorganized government : 1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1861-1863)","West Virginia. Constitutional Convention (1872)","Willey, Waitman T. (Waitman Thomas), 1811-1900","Battelle, Gordon.","Boreman, Arthur Inghram, 1823-1896","Camden, Gideon Draper, 1805-1891","Campbell, Archibald W., 1833-1899.","Carlile, John S. (John Snyder), 1817-1878","Davis, John J. (John James), 1835-1916","Dayton, Spencer","Goff, Nathan, 1843-1920","Hagans, John Marshall, 1838-1900","Hall, Granville Davisson, 1837-1934","Haymond, Alpheus F.","Jackson, John J.","Pendleton, John L.","Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899","Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869","Summers, George W. (George William), 1804-1868","Van Winkle, P. G. (Peter Godwin), 1808-1872","Wade, Alexander L. (Alexander Luark), 1832-1904","Watson, James O.","Willey, William P. 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