Charleston WV – The following events happened on these dates in West Virginia
history. To read more, go to e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia at
www.wvencyclopedia.org .
June 22, 1926: Earl Olgebay died in Cleveland. He was one of West Virginia’s
most successful industrialists and a generous benefactor.
June 23, 1944: A tornado struck Shinnston and the surrounding area, killing 103
people and injuring hundreds more.
June 23, 2016: Eight inches of rain fell in a 12-hour period. The Meadow, Cherry
and Elk rivers, as well as Howard Creek, flooded downtowns and The Greenbrier resort
and killed 23 people.
June 24, 1842: Author Ambrose Bierce was born. Bierce found the setting for
some of his famous short stories in the mountains of Civil War-era West Virginia.
June 25, 1811: Bridge builder Lemuel Chenoweth was born near Beverly,
Randolph County. His many bridges also included the earliest covered bridge at Beverly
and the famous Philippi covered bridge.
June 26, 1887: Sheriff Don Chafin was born in Logan County. Chafin was a
bitter foe of union organizers and, with financial support from coal companies, used his
many deputies to keep labor organizers out of Logan County.
June 26, 1892: Pearl Buck was born in Hillsboro in the home of her maternal
grandparents. She received the Nobel Prize for Literature for The Good Earth.
June 26, 1936: Basketball star Harold Everett ‘‘Hal’’ Greer was born in
Huntington. Greer was the first African-American athlete to play at Marshall College
(now University). During his three-year college career, Greer scored 1,377 points and
averaged 19.4 points per game.
June 27, 1897: Musician Maceo Pinkard was born in Bluefield. Pinkard became
one of the most successful songwriters of the 1920s Jazz Era.
June 28, 1936: Athlete Charles Louis ‘‘Chuck’’ Howley was born in Wheeling,
Howley played linebacker for 12 seasons for the Dallas Cowboys. He was named All-Pro
six times and named to six Pro Bowls.
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 .
