By West Virginia Humanities Council
For The Wayne County News
Charleston — The following events happened on these dates in West Virginia history. To read more, go to e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia at wvencyclopedia.org.
Aug. 23, 1949: John Chambers was born in Cleveland but spent much of his formative years in Ravenswood and Charleston. He is best known as the former CEO and chairman of the Cisco Systems technology company.
Aug. 23, 1965: Sylvia Mathews Burwell was born in Hinton. She was U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (2014-17) under President Obama before serving as American University’s first woman president (2017-24).
Aug. 23, 1970: The Mormon Church established its first “stake,” or congregation, in West Virginia. The stake was organized in Charleston with a membership of nearly 4,000 people.
Aug. 24, 1918: Louis Bennett Jr. died of injuries sustained when his plane was shot down by German anti-aircraft fire. Bennett, with 12 combat kills, was West Virginia’s only World War I fighter ace.
Aug. 24, 1947: Joe Manchin III was born in Fairmont. He served in both houses of the legislature and as secretary of state before becoming the 34th governor in 2005. In 2010, he ran successfully for the late Robert C. Byrd’s U.S. Senate seat and stepped down as governor. He retired from the Senate in 2025.
Aug. 25, 1903: Soprano Susanne Fisher was born in Sutton. Fisher was the first West Virginian to sing at the Metropolitan Opera.
Aug. 25, 1921: Miners began to arrive at Blair Mountain near the border of Logan and Boone counties. Sheriff Don Chafin, a hated symbol of anti-unionism in southern West Virginia, met them with a combined force of deputies, mine guards, civilian volunteers and others.
Aug. 25, 2000: The Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope was dedicated in Pocahontas County. It is the world’s largest fully steerable radio telescope.
Aug. 26, 1863: Union and Confederate forces collided in what became known as the Battle of White Sulphur Springs. The next morning, with ammunition nearly depleted, Union General William Averell retreated to his base without accomplishing any of his objectives.
Aug. 26, 1918: Mathematician Katherine Johnson was born in White Sulphur Springs. For 33 years, Johnson worked for NASA, making calculations for manned space flights, including the Apollo 11 moon landing. In 2015, she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Aug. 27, 1902: Mary McClain was born Mary Smith in Huntington. McClain was a blues legend who performed at Carnegie Hall, the White House, the Apollo Theatre, and the Cotton Club.
Aug. 28, 1900: Harrison H. Ferrell Jr. was born in Chicago. Known as “the Dean” to generations of students, he was professor of German, 1928–66, at West Virginia State College (now University) and served as dean and in other capacities from 1930 until 1970.
Aug. 29, 1952: A groundbreaking ceremony was held in Mercer County to mark the beginning of construction of the West Virginia Turnpike. Initially, most of the turnpike was just two lanes because officials believed revenues would be too low to finance four lanes.
e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia is a project of the West Virginia Humanities Council. For more information, contact the West Virginia Humanities Council, 1310 Kanawha Blvd. E., Charleston, WV 25301; 304-346-8500; or visit e-WV at www.wvencyclopedia.org.
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