Henry M. Mathews
Encyclopedia
Henry Mason Mathews was the fifth Governor of West Virginia
from 1877 to 1881. Matthews was a Democrat
from Greenbrier County
.
, Greenbrier County. He studied at the Lewisburg Academy, University of Virginia
, and a law school in Lexington, Virginia
. Following school, he maintained a law practice in Lewisburg
and taught at Allegheny College in Blue Sulphur Springs. In 1857, he married Lucy Fry
.
.
. In July 1877, four months into his term, Mathews sent the state militia to Martinsburg, Berkeley County, where Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
workers had been stopping trains to protest wage cuts. This was the beginning of the Great Railroad Strike of 1877
.
When many militia members sympathized with the strikers, President Rutherford B. Hayes dispatched federal troops to break the first national labor strike. In 1880, Mathews once again sent militia to Hawks Nest, Fayette County, to stop the state's first major coal strike. He was a proponent of increased immigration, improved transportation, expansion of the coal and oil industries, and funding to establish a state geological survey.
After his term as governor, Mathews returned to Lewisburg, where he died in 1884.
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
from 1877 to 1881. Matthews was a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
from Greenbrier County
Greenbrier County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 34,453 people, 14,571 households, and 9,922 families residing in the county. The population density was 34 people per square mile . There were 17,644 housing units at an average density of 17 per square mile...
.
Earlier life
Henry Mason Mathews was born in FrankfordFrankford, West Virginia
Frankford is an unincorporated community in Greenbrier County, West Virginia, United States. Frankford is located on U.S. Route 219 south of Falling Spring and north of Maxwelton...
, Greenbrier County. He studied at the Lewisburg Academy, University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
, and a law school in Lexington, Virginia
Lexington, Virginia
Lexington is an independent city within the confines of Rockbridge County in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 7,042 in 2010. Lexington is about 55 minutes east of the West Virginia border and is about 50 miles north of Roanoke, Virginia. It was first settled in 1777.It is home to...
. Following school, he maintained a law practice in Lewisburg
Lewisburg, West Virginia
Lewisburg is a city in Greenbrier County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 3,830 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Greenbrier County.-Geography:Lewisburg is located at ....
and taught at Allegheny College in Blue Sulphur Springs. In 1857, he married Lucy Fry
Lucy Fry Mathews
Lucy Fry Mathews was the wife of former Governor of West Virginia Henry M. Mathews and served as that state's First Lady, 1877-1881. She was born in 1830, at Frankford, West Virginia. In 1857, she married Henry M. Mathews. After leaving office, the Mathews moved to Lewisburg, West Virginia. ...
.
Civil War & politics
During the Civil War, Mathews served as a major in the Confederate Army. He was elected to the legislature in 1865, but was not allowed to serve due to the law prohibiting former Confederates from holding public office. Mathews was a member of the 1872 constitutional convention and served as attorney general under Governor John J. JacobJohn J. Jacob
John Jeremiah Jacob was a Democratic politician from Green Spring , West Virginia. Jacob served two terms as the fourth Governor of the US state of West Virginia...
.
The Panic and the Great Railroad Strike
As governor, Mathews dealt with economic problems associated with the national depressionPanic of 1873
The Panic of 1873 triggered a severe international economic depression in both Europe and the United States that lasted until 1879, and even longer in some countries. The depression was known as the Great Depression until the 1930s, but is now known as the Long Depression...
. In July 1877, four months into his term, Mathews sent the state militia to Martinsburg, Berkeley County, where Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which...
workers had been stopping trains to protest wage cuts. This was the beginning of the Great Railroad Strike of 1877
Great railroad strike of 1877
The Great Railroad Strike of 1877 began on July 14 in Martinsburg, West Virginia, United States and ended some 45 days later after it was put down by local and state militias, and federal troops.-Economic conditions in the 1870s:...
.
When many militia members sympathized with the strikers, President Rutherford B. Hayes dispatched federal troops to break the first national labor strike. In 1880, Mathews once again sent militia to Hawks Nest, Fayette County, to stop the state's first major coal strike. He was a proponent of increased immigration, improved transportation, expansion of the coal and oil industries, and funding to establish a state geological survey.
After his term as governor, Mathews returned to Lewisburg, where he died in 1884.