Relocation of the County Seat

 

The sources discuss the potential relocation of the Pocahontas County seat and the construction of new public buildings, specifically a courthouse and jail, in a new town called Marlinton.

Relocation of the County Seat

• A petition was presented to the County Court of Pocahontas County by Matt Wallace and 697 other citizens.
• The petitioners requested the relocation of the county seat from Huntersville to a point on the east bank of the Greenbrier River, known as Marlins Bottom.
• The specific location for the new county seat is described as "Courthouse Square" on a survey of the Marlins Bottom lands.
• The proposed location is on land formerly owned by Susan E. and Andrew M. McLaughlin, which was conveyed to John T. McGraw.
• The land was later conveyed to the Pocahontas Development Company.
• The Pocahontas Development Company offered to donate the land to the county for the courthouse and county purposes.
• The donation was conditional on the county seat being relocated to that location and the public buildings being constructed there.
• The company, through its president John T. McGraw and manager/secretary Geo. M. Whitescarver, tendered a deed for the land in escrow.
• The deed would become absolute if the relocation was approved, but would be returned to the company if not.
• The Pocahontas Development Company also offered to pay $5,000 to aid in the construction of a new courthouse and jail, contingent on the county seat being moved to the new location.

Special Election for Relocation

• The court ordered a special election to be held to decide on the relocation of the county seat.
• The election was scheduled for the 7th day of December, 1891.
• The ballots for the election were to be printed with the phrases "For Removal of County Seat" and "Against Removal of County Seat".
• Commissioners were appointed to oversee the election at the various voting places in the county.
• The sheriff was ordered to post copies of the order at each voting place at least forty days before the election and publish the order in the Pocahontas Times.

Description of the Land for Public Buildings

• The specific location for the new public buildings was described by metes and bounds:
  • Beginning at a locust post at the intersection of Judge Street and Tenth Avenue
  • Then south 40 degrees and 45 minutes west 290 feet
  • Then south 49 degrees and 15 minutes east 260 feet to the intersection of Jury Street and Tenth Avenue
  • Then east 49 degrees and 15 minutes, 260 feet, to the intersection of Jury Street and Eleventh Avenue
  • Then north 40 degrees and 45 minutes east 290 feet to the intersection of Eleventh Avenue and Judge Street
  • Then north 49 degrees and 15 minutes west 260 feet to the beginning
• The land is now owned by the Pocahontas Development Company.

These details show a significant effort to relocate the county seat and construct new public buildings, with specific plans, funding commitments, and legal steps taken to make the move happen.