The 4 Townships in Post Civil Pocahontas

 

It is interesting to note that the townships in Pocahontas County were initially given patriotic names, but were later renamed after local places and people. This suggests that the residents of the county developed a strong sense of local identity in the years following the Civil War.

The new state government divided the counties into civil townships, with the intention of encouraging local government. This proved impractical in the heavily rural state, and in 1872 the townships were converted into magisterial districts.[7] Pocahontas County was initially divided into four townships, each of which was given a patriotic name: Grant, Lincoln, Meade, and Union.

 The fact that the townships were converted into magisterial districts in 1872 suggests that the state government recognized that the township system was not practical in a heavily rural state like West Virginia. Magisterial districts are larger and more populous than townships, and they are typically responsible for a wider range of governmental functions.

The renaming of the magisterial districts in 1873 is further evidence of the growing sense of local identity in Pocahontas County. The new names reflected the unique geography and history of the county.

Today, the four magisterial districts in Pocahontas County are Edray, Greenbank, Huntersville, and Little Levels. These districts continue to play an important role in the local government of the county.