George Poffenbarger was a lawyer and long-time justice of the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals. He attended Rio Grande College

University of Rio Grande

The University of Rio Grande and Rio Grande Community College are twin colleges in Rio Grande, Ohio, United States....

 in Rio Grande

Rio Grande, Ohio

Rio Grande is a village in Gallia County, Ohio, United States. The population was 915 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Point Pleasant, WV–OH Micropolitan Statistical Area....

, Ohio

Ohio

Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...

 and then taught school for seven years. After studying law under John W. English, a future West Virginia Supreme Court justice, he was admitted to the bar in 1887. After serving as a justice of the peace for two years, he was elected sheriff of Mason County in 1888. In 1900 he was elected to the Supreme Court of Appeals, defeating his mentor John English in the election. He was re-elected in 1912 and resigned in 1922, having served for 21 years.

Poffenbarger married newspaper publisher Livia Nye Simpson

Livia Simpson Poffenbarger

Olivia Nye Simpson Poffenbarger was a newspaper owner/editor, historian, social activist, civic leader, and Republican politician in West Virginia. Her family moved to Point Pleasant, West Virginia when she was a young girl...

in 1894; she died in 1937. They had two sons, Nathan and Perry.