William A. MacCorkle

William Alexander MacCorkle
William Alexander MacCorkle
Born	Template:Birth date; near Lexington, Virginia, U.S.
Died	September 24, 1930 (aged 73); Charleston, West Virginia, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Educator, attorney, public prosecutor, financier, politician
Years active	1879–1930
Known for	9th Governor of West Virginia

William Alexander MacCorkle (May 7, 1857 – September 24, 1930) was a multifaceted American professional who served as an educator, attorney, public prosecutor, financier, and became the ninth governor of West Virginia. His Charleston home, called Sunrise, is recognized on the National Register of Historic Places.

Biography

MacCorkle was born close to Lexington, Virginia and initially worked as a teacher in Pocahontas County, West Virginia before enrolling at Washington and Lee University. After completing his studies, he returned to West Virginia in 1879 where he launched a legal career in Charleston while continuing his teaching endeavors. Between 1880 and 1889, he acted as the prosecuting attorney for Kanawha County. He married Belle Goshorn in 1884. Known for his Confederate sympathies, MacCorkle notably attacked a U.S. Marshal in 1889 following a derogatory remark made about Jefferson Davis.

As a Democrat elected governor in 1892, MacCorkle focused on enhancing financial support for state agencies and upgrading transportation infrastructure. He vigorously marketed West Virginia’s abundant natural resources to draw industrial development. During his tenure, he opposed the rise of coal miners' labor unions and authorized the deployment of the state militia to suppress a miners’ strike.

In 1900, MacCorkle delivered a speech titled "The Negro and the Intelligence and Property Franchise" at the Southern Conference On Race Problems held in Montgomery, Alabama, where he spoke out in favor of African American rights.

Following his time as governor, he resumed practicing law and continued advocating for the state’s economic assets through his travels. In 1910, he secured a seat in the West Virginia Senate and also co-founded Citizens National Bank, serving as its president until it merged with Charleston National Bank. His memoirs were published in 1928 under the title The Recollections of Fifty Years. MacCorkle passed away at Sunrise, his residence in Charleston, in 1930.

Legacy

The Sunrise mansion was transformed into a children’s museum during the early 1960s and gained placement on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. This museum evolved into the Avampato Discovery Museum and relocated to The Clay Center in downtown Charleston by 2003. Presently, the Sunrise property functions as offices for the law firm Farmer Cline & Campbell PLLC.

In Charleston, MacCorkle Avenue—a principal thoroughfare carrying U.S. Route 60—bears his name. His archival materials are maintained by the West Virginia Division of Culture and History within the MacCorkle Collection, serving as a valuable asset for historical research related to the state.

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