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Second Wheeling Convention
| June 4, 1861 | Delegates to the Second Wheeling Convention are selected. | West Virginia |
| June 11, 1861 June 25, 1861 |
First session of the Second Wheeling Convention | West Virginia |
| August 6, 1861 | Second Session of the Second Wheeling Convention is called to order | West Virginia |
| August 20, 1861 | The pro-Union Second Wheeling Convention calls for the creation of the state of Kanawha | West Virginia |
| August 21, 1861 | Second Wheeling Convention adjourns |
Second Wheeling Convention
With the secesssion of Virginia, approved by popular vote on May 23, 1861, the Second Wheeling Convention was a foregone response. In Western Virginia, especially near the Ohio River, ratios against secession had been as high as 20 to 1. The time had come for West Virginia to nullify the secession of Virginia by becoming a state itself.
Electing representatives to the Second Wheeling Convention was by popular vote/county, except for members of the General Assembly, who were automatically added to the role. Arthur Boreman was selected President of the body in one of its first acts. Within two days the Convention had an declaration of causes drafted regarding the new state, and this was approved on the fifth day.
Immediately after drafting the causes of the separation, the representatives of the counties established the rules of government for the state. It also selected the first set of executive officers to govern the state, selecting Francis Pierpont as governor on June 20th. At this point it adjourned to allow the newly formed state assembly to meet in Wheeling during the first part of July 1861, .
On August 6th, the Second Wheeling Convention reassembled to discuss the means by which West Virginia would separate from Virginia.
On August 20, 1861, the Second Wheeling Convention presented a ordinance laying out the means to create the state of West Virginia. When the convention approved the ordinance that day, its work was done. The convention was adjourned, to be replaced by the State Constitutional Convention that November. The only major difference between the Second Wheeling Convention and the State Constitutional Convention was the name: West Virginia.
Links appearing on this page:
With the secesssion of Virginia, approved by popular vote on May 23, 1861, the Second Wheeling Convention was a foregone response. In Western Virginia, especially near the Ohio River, ratios against secession had been as high as 20 to 1. The time had come for West Virginia to nullify the secession of Virginia by becoming a state itself.
Electing representatives to the Second Wheeling Convention was by popular vote/county, except for members of the General Assembly, who were automatically added to the role. Arthur Boreman was selected President of the body in one of its first acts. Within two days the Convention had an declaration of causes drafted regarding the new state, and this was approved on the fifth day.
Immediately after drafting the causes of the separation, the representatives of the counties established the rules of government for the state. It also selected the first set of executive officers to govern the state, selecting Francis Pierpont as governor on June 20th. At this point it adjourned to allow the newly formed state assembly to meet in Wheeling during the first part of July 1861, .
On August 6th, the Second Wheeling Convention reassembled to discuss the means by which West Virginia would separate from Virginia.
...do ordain that a new State, to be called the State of Kanawha, be formed and erected out of the territory included within the following-described boundary:beginning on the Tug fork of Sandy river, on the Kentucky line...The state was to contain 39 counties that formally belonged to Virginia.
On August 20, 1861, the Second Wheeling Convention presented a ordinance laying out the means to create the state of West Virginia. When the convention approved the ordinance that day, its work was done. The convention was adjourned, to be replaced by the State Constitutional Convention that November. The only major difference between the Second Wheeling Convention and the State Constitutional Convention was the name: West Virginia.
Links appearing on this page:
August 20
August 6th
August, 1861
June 20
May 23
May, 1861
West Virginia
Second Wheeling Convention was last changed on - April 28, 2007
Second Wheeling Convention was added on - April 19, 2007
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