George W. Atkinson

George Wesley Atkinson (June 29, 1845 – April 4, 1925) of Ohio County was the tenth Governor of West Virginia. He also served in the U.S. House of Representatives and was a judge on the Court of Claims.

Biography

In 1870, Atkinson graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University with an A.B.. He received an M.A. there in 1873, and an LL.B. from Howard University in 1874. He served as toll collector on the Kanawha River Board from 1869 to 1871 and was appointed postmaster of Charleston in 1871. He was defeated for election to the West Virginia Legislature in 1876. He was an Internal Revenue agent from 1879 to 1881; his success at interfering with moonshiners lead to his appointment as a United States Marshall, serving until 1885. In 1888, he ran for Congress as a Republican against John O. Pendleton. The election was contested, and although Pendleton had presented his credentials and served in the seat for nearly a year, Atkinson was eventually declared the winner and seated.

Atkinson defeated Democratic party candidate Cornelius Clarkson Watts in the 1896 election for Governor of West Virginia and served until 1901. He was later appointed United States District Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia. In 1905, President Theodore Roosevelt appointed him associate judge of the Court of Claims. He served from April 15, 1905, until his retirement on April 16, 1916.

Atkinson was married twice and had four children. His first marriage was in 1868 to Ellen Eagan; following her death, he married Mrs. Myra (Horner) Camden, in 1897.

Atkinson died in Charleston, West Virginia on April 4, 1925 and was buried in Spring Hill Cemetery.

Gallery

References

• The United States Court of Claims: a history / pt. 1. The judges, 1855-1976 / by Marion T. Bennett / pt. 2. Origin, development, jurisdiction, 1855-1978 / W. Cowen, P. Nichols, M.T. Bennett.. Washington, D.C.: Committee on the Bicentennial of Independence and the Constitution of the Judicial Conference of the United States. 1976. 

External links

• George W. Atkinson at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Biography of George W. Atkinson
• Inaugural Address of George W. Atkinson
• Southern District of West Virginia history page
• George W. Atkinson at Find-A-Grave