The Civil War and Northwestern Virginia

About The Book

The book, a successor to Where It All Began, tells the incredible story of how, in the midst of the turmoil of the Civil War, the people of Northwestern Virginia forged a new state. Caught being dragged against their will out of the Union and into the Confederacy by a group of radicals in Richmond, those in the Northwest banded together and carefully put the pieces in place to create a new state.

The riches from the blossoming oil boom at Burning Springs and Petroleum, just outside Parkersburg, provided the financial fuel and incentive for this movement to be sustained. The important Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, transversing Northwestern Virginia provided the incentive for the Federal Government in Washington to provide assistance and early recognition.

The book shows how the politicians met in the safety of Wheeling, Virginia, to establish an interim Virginia government, develop a new constitution and then successfully petition Washington for Statehood, right in midst continuing guerilla warfare.

The book shows the succession of Virginia Governor Pierpont from the capital in Wheeling, Virginia from 1861 to 1863; to Alexandria, Virginia from 1863 to 1865; and to Richmond, Virginia from 1865 to 1868.

It shows the important role in statehood the politicians in Parkersburg played, with their newly found wealth from the oil and railroads, showing that the first U. S. Senator, first U. S. Congressman and first West Virginia Governor came from Parkersburg.

About The Author

This is Mr. McKain's second book about the history of West Virginia, the first being "Where It All Began", a very popular book concerning the history of the oil and gas industry in West Virginia and Southeastern Ohio.

He is co-owner of Parkersburg Tool Co. which manufacturers oil, gas and water well drilling and fishing tools. He formerly was owner of Acme Fishing Tool Co. from 1970 to 1991. From 1960 to 1970 he was a civilian executive in the Office, Chief of Staff, U. S. Army, Pentagon, in Washington, D. C.

He earned his BA in Political Science and Economics from West Virginia University in 1960 and did his masters degree work in management and economics at George Washington University. He is a Philatelist and Postal Historian, having received several international postal history awards. He is currently president of the Oil, Gas & Industrial Historical Association, which sponsors the Oil & Gas Museum in Parkersburg and the Rathbone Oil Well Park at Burning Springs, West Virginia.

In Addition to the book "Where It All Began", he produced the video of the same name which focuses on the early days of the oil industry at Burning Springs and Parkersburg.

Mr. McKain is married to the former Sue Burke and has five grown children: Meg, Carolyn, David, Kathy and John.

He has received numerous awards in connection with the book and Museum, most recently being named the West Virginia Oil & Gas Man of the Year for 2004 and the West Virginia Preservation Alliance Annual preservation award.