U.S. Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ -- USGenNet Inc. -- Please read the U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on the following page: ------------------------------------------------------------------- Sturgiss, George C. (1842-1925) ------------------------------------------------------------------- Men of West Virginia, Volume II Biographical Publishing Company George Richmond, Pres.: C. R. Arnold, Sec'y and Treas. Chicago, Illinois, 1903 Pages 548-551 HON. GEORGE C. STURGISS, who for many years has been one of West Virginia's best known and most popular men, is a lawyer who has attained high distinction in his profession and has frequently been called to fill offices of public trust. He resides in Morgantown and has always taken a deep interest in the growth and development of that community. George C. Sturgiss was born at Poland, Mahoning County, Ohio, August 16, 1842, and is a son of Rev. A. G. Sturgiss, who was a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Rev. A. G. Sturgiss was united in marriage with Sabra L. Miner, by whom he had three sons, namely: Joseph, W.; George C.; and Alfred G. George C. Sturgiss was named for the Rev. George Cookman, a distinguished minister of the Gospel, who went down on the ill-fated steamer "President," in 1841. George C. Sturgiss was but three years of age when his father died, and at the age of 11 years he started out to make his way in the world. He went to Monongalia County, Virginia, now West Virginia, to visit friends in 1859 and located at Morgantown. He attended Monongalia Academy for two years, and soon thereafter took up the study of the law under Waitman T. Willey, then a member of the U. S. Senate. He was admitted to the bar, May 11, 1864, and at once entered upon the practice of his chosen profession, forming a partnership with Ralph L. Berkshire, later a judge of the Supreme Court of Appeals. Being a diligent student and attentive to business, he was not long in building up a lucrative practice. On September 22, 1863, he was married to Sabra J. Vance, daughter of Col. Addison S. Vance. During 1864-65, he was paymaster's clerk in the United States Army, and the following year served as first superintendent of free schools of Monongalia County, and was elected to a second term. During his administration he placed the free school system in that county on a firm basis. He served three consecutive terms in the House of Delegates of West Virginia, and never were his constituents more ably served in that body. Ex- Governor Atkinson, in his interesting work entitled "Prominent Men of West Virginia," says of him: "The writer, who was a legislative reporter for the years in which Mr. Sturgiss was a member of the Legislature, remembers him as a young man of high personal character, attentive to his duties and very able in discharge of them. He was beyond question one of the most formidable and forceful members of those sessions." In 1872, Mr. Sturgiss was elected prosecuting attorney of Monongalia County, and was re-elected to the same office in 1876, serving for eight consecutive years. In 1880, he was nominated by acclamation as candidate for Governor by the Republican convention, and although defeated he ran far ahead of his ticket in many counties. He is a man of personal magnetism, a clear forcible speaker, and possessed of no mean ability as an orator, and in his canvass of the State made many lasting friends. In 1889 he was appointed by President Harrison to the responsible and trying position of district attorney for the District of West Virginia, an office which for a quarter of a century had been filled by men of recognized ability in the legal profession. Mr. Sturgiss, in the onerous duties that fell upon him, measured up to the high standard of his predecessors and proved himself equal in all respects to the requirements of the position. He financed and rebuilt the West Virginia Northern Railroad from Tunnelton to Kingwood in 1897, and in 1899 and 1900 built the Morgantown & Kingwood Railroad from Morgantown to Masontown with a branch to the Fulmer mines (being president of both companies), in all of which work he was ably seconded by J. Ami Martin as vice- president and general superintendent. He is a large stockholder and director in the many industrial enterprises on the line of the latter road, including Sand & Stone Company, Tin Plate Mill, Aluminum Coating Company, Prism Plate Glass Company, Planing Mill, Mirror Company, and is secretary and director of the Union Utility Company, controlling the water, gas, electric light and street car lines of Morgantown, and is a director in two of the banking institutions of that city. He was for 12 years secretary of the board of regents of the State University and for four years president of the board, and made the contracts for the purchase of the agricultural station farm and building, the library, Armory and Mechanical Hall, the finest buildings in the group of buildings of the University, involving a cost including the additional land purchased, of over a quarter of a million dollars. The lands purchased quadrupled in value within four years. He heartily seconded the progressive and able administration of Dr. Jerome Hall Raymond, president of the University, and during the four years in which they were associated the attendance doubled, many new departments were added and the University acquired a standing and influence in university circles never before approached. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, which has received many benefactions from him and his excellent wife. He is chairman of the board of trustees now^ building a new church that will cost when completed over $100,000. He is now the owner and controlling spirit of the Morgantown Post, the leading daily and weekly Republican paper in the Monongahela Valley, and is identified with every movement looking to the advance of the material prosperity of the city and valley where he has spent over 40 years of his life. ------------------------------------------------------------------- From Death Certificate, Monongalia County, WV #2267 FULL-NAME: George C. Sturgiss BIRTH-DATE: August 16, 1842 BIRTH-PLACE: Ohio DEATH-DATE: February 26, 1925 (at age 82y-6m-10d) DEATH-PLACE: Kirk St., Morgantown, Monongalia County, WV MARITAL-STATUS: married OCCUPATION: Atty. FATHER: Alfred G. Sturgiss (born in Pa.) MOTHER: Sabra L. Miner (born in Conn.) CAUSE-OF-DEATH: Pulmonary tuberculosis / Cardiac exhaustion INFORMANT: Charlotte Sturgiss (of Kirk St.) BURIAL: Oak Grove Cemetery Tombstone in Oak Grove Cemetery, Morgantown, Monongalia County, WV Sabra Vance Sturgiss (1839-1903) George C. Sturgiss (1842-1925) ------------------------------------------------------------------- If you've reached this file through a SEARCH, you can access other biographies for Monongalia County, WV by going to the following URL: http://www.us-data.org/wv/monongalia/bios.html -------------------------------------------------------------------