Kanawha County, West Virginia
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Bridge at Charleston, 1943
"On the 19th day of December 1794 the General Assembly of Virginia enacted 'That 40 acres of land, the property of George Clendennin, at the mouth of Elk river, in the county of Kanawha, as the same are all nearly laid off into town lots and streets, shall be established a town, by the name of Charlestown, and Reuben Slaughter, Andrew Donally, sr., William Clendennin, John Morris, sr., Leonard Morris, George Alderson, Abraham Baker, John Young, and William Morris, gentlemen, appointed trustees thereof.'
" [source: The Weekly Register (Point Pleasant, WV) 12 Dec 1894, p3]
Kanawha County was created in 1789.
It takes its name from the Native term, Kanawha: "place of white stone".
The county seat is Charleston, which is also the state capital. Kanawha County is the most populous county in the state of West Virginia
Charleston Facts:
1788 - In May Charleston was first settled by George Clendenin, who built
the first house of logs on Kanawha Street, about one hundred and fifty feet above Brooks
Street, and known as Clendenin Fort or Block House. Kanawha Street was called Front
Street and Virginia Street, Main Street.
1790 - Charleston Population: 35
1794 - The last person to be killed by Indians was Shararack Harmon, living
at the mouth of Venables Branch.
1796 - First Court house built of logs 30x40 feet, one story high. August
first, first attorney admitted to practice, Edward Graham.
1797 - The first white child born in Charleston was General Lewis Ruffner,
born October 1st, in Clendenin fort.
1798 - Daniel Boone made last survey on Kanawha September 8th.
1800-Population 65.
1801 First Post Office Kanawha Court House, Edward Graham, Post Master. [Source: Ledger of Genealogy Quarterly Publication; WV Gen. Society;
vol. 24, #2; June 2007]