189Francis Harrison Peirpoint, the third son of the family, was of a literary turn of mind, and was the one member of the household that reached a college education. He was born at Fairmont, on January 25, 1814, and began his public career as a school-teacher. He was graduated from the Allegheny college at Meadville, Pennsylvania, with high honors, and, subsequently, made quite a record at the bar. At the breaking out of the Civil war when Virginia seceded from the Union, he took an active part in the calling of the Wheeling convention, whose purpose was to show loyalty to the Government; and on June 20, 1861, when this convention had completed the re-organization of (the loyal counties) Virginia, he was elected as Provisional (of War) Governor with his seat of Government at Wheeling; and so important was his service in the formation of the new State that he has been styled
the "Father of West Virginia." After the "Little Mountain State" had been admitted into the Union, and Arthur I. Boreman had been installed as Governor, Mr. Peirpoint again took his seat in the Gubernatorial chair of the "Old Dominion," he being inaugurated on January 1, 1864 and continued in office until 1868. Just before the admission of the new state, his seat of government was transferred from Wheeling to Alexandria, and at the close of
the war, was removed back to Richmond.
Gevernor Peirpoint served as a member of the Legislature of West Virginia in 1868, and was Collector of Internal revenue under President Garfield.
He died at Pittsburg at the home of his daughter, on March 24, 1899, and was taken back to his native town, Fairmont, for burial.
He and his wife, Mrs. Julia Roberts Peirpoint, were the parents of four children. One daughter died in early life, and the other one is Mrs. Nannie Siveter, of Pittsburg. His sons, Samuel R. and William Peirpoint are also of Pittsburg, and the latter is an agent for the Methodist Protestant Book
Concern of that city.
On April 30, 1910, a stature of the late Governor Peirpoint, Which had long stood in Statuary Hall at Washington city, was unveiled with impressive ceremonies. His grand-daughter, Miss Frances Peirpoint Siveter pulled the cord that unveiled the statue and read a poem that had been penned for the occasion, and quite a number of distinguished West Virginians had part in the exercises, among them being Senator N. B. Scott, who said;
"Governor Peirpoint was a large-hearted, true man, and a just one. His love of country was of the intense order, and to the support of his views he brought a fine logic which but few could combat. He was possessed of a wonderfully retentive memory, and was splendidly equipped legally. There is, perhaps, no one within the confines of the state which Governor
Peirpoint helped to create, that does not acknowledge the versatility and clear-headed legal acumen he manifested in the presence of the serious problems that he so successfully solved as a leader in the troublesome times, just before and during the Civil war."History may do but scant justice to this man; his fame may be perpetuated by the marble statue that has been unveiled to-day, but there is a monument which bears his name indelibly, and one which is found in the hearts of his countrymen. There Francis H. Peirpoint will live while the lifeblood flows."
Only one other West Virginian shares the honor of a place in Statuary Hall at Washington city with Governor Peirpoint, and that is the late Senator John E. Kenna.