Governor of West Virginia 1876 – 81

 

(excerpted from Semi-Centennial History of WV, 1913)

In the exciting election of 1876 the Democratic state ticket was elected, with Henry Mason Mathews, of Lewisburg, defeating General Nathan Goff for governor.  Mathews was a patriotic, broad and liberal minded ex-Confederate who had fully accepted the results of the civil war and was well fitted to lead in meeting living issues.  His administration has been characterized as an era of good feeling in which the state began to show new signs of awakening life – especially in industrial development.  He adopted a liberal and sensible policy of appointing on administrative boards members from both political parties – a wise policy which unfortunately was abandoned by some of his immediate successors.

 

Born March 29, 1834, at Frankford, Mathews was the eldest son of Mason and Eliza    (Reynolds) Mathews, and brother of the Bank of Lewisburg founder, Alex F. Mathews.  He died in Lewisburg April 28, 1884.