Cabell County is a county located in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 94,350, making it West Virginia's fourth most-populous county. Its county seat is Huntington. The county was organized in 1809 and named for William H. Cabell, the Governor of Virginia from 1805 to 1808. Cabell County is part of the Huntington–Ashland, WV–KY–OH Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Cabell County was created by an act of the Virginia General Assembly on January 2, 1809, out of Kanawha County. The county was named in honor of William H. Cabell, who served as Governor of Virginia from 1805 to 1808.

First Inhabitants

Many of the first inhabitants in Cabell County were the Mound Builders. More specifically, the Adena people. Later, many Hurons occupied the area until they were driven out by the Iroquois Confederacy. By the 1700s the area of Cabell County was mostly used as hunting grounds by the indigenous populations in the area.

European settlement

The first European to set foot in present-day Cabell County was most likely Robert Cavelier de La Salle, who sailed down the Ohio River in 1669. The first English explorers were probably Thomas Batts and Robert Fallam, who explored the area in September 1671. While they explored the area, they found tree markings with the letters MANI and MA, signifying to them that other Englishmen that been there before.

The Savage Grant of 1772 was made to John Savage and 60 others for service during the French and Indian War. William Buffington purchased lot 42 of this grant and willed it to his two sons, Thomas and William Buffington. Thomas and his brother Jonathan came to present-day Cabell County in 1796 and found Thomas Hannon. Hannon is regarded as the first settler in Cabell County.

Civil War

Prior to the outbreak of conflict, the citizens of Cabell County were largely divided on the issue secession. The arrival of Eli Thayer and his Ceredo Experiment caused an uproar in the county. After the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, a militia was formed called the Border Rangers led by Albert Gallatin Jenkins. The first engagement of the Civil War in Cabell County was the Battle of Barboursville in 1861. Later that same year, the town of Guyandotte was raided and eventually burned by the Union Army. The county's economy suffered greatly after the burning of Guyandotte, but the proximity to the Ohio River and arrival of the railroad boasted the county. On June 20, 1863 when West Virginia was admitted to the Union, Cabell county, became part of West Virginia. In 1871, railroad magnate Collis P. Huntington laid out and founded the city of Huntington, near Holdby's Landing, as the western terminus of the C&O Railroad.

1900s

Several industries entered Cabell County as a result of the establishment of Huntington. This influx of industry boast the economy, which saw a boom period until the Ohio River Flood of 1937. Huntington saw the introduction of the state's first radio station in 1923 and the state's first television station in 1949. The construction of Interstate 64 in the 1960s also saw a growth in the local economy.

In 1863, West Virginia's counties were divided 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. Cabell County was divided into five districts: Barboursville, Grant, Guyandotte, McComas, and Union. Two additional districts, Gideon and Kyle, were established between 1920 and 1930. Between 1980 and 1990, the county was redivided into five districts: District 1, District 2, District 3, District 4, and District 5. The names and boundaries of the historic districts were preserved in the form of tax and assessment districts.

Major highways

  • 20px Interstate 64
  • 20px U.S. Route 52
  • 20px U.S. Route 60
  • 20px West Virginia Route 2
  • 20px West Virginia Route 10
  • 20px West Virginia Route 152
  • 20px West Virginia Route 527

Adjacent counties

  • Gallia County, Ohio (north)
  • Mason County (northeast)
  • Putnam County (east)
  • Lincoln County (southeast)
  • Wayne County (southwest)
  • Lawrence County, Ohio (northwest)

Demographics

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Notable people

  • James F. Adams, Union Army soldier in the American Civil War, and recipient of the Medal of Honor.
  • George Baumgardner, MLB player for the St. Louis Browns.
  • Wayne Chapman, football coach.
  • Brad Dourif, actor.
  • Catherine Shipe East, government worker and feminist.
  • Diamond Teeth Mary, blues singer.
  • Hal Greer, NBA player.
  • Thomas Hannan, revolutionary war soldier, settler of Cabell County.
  • Hawkshaw Hawkins, bluegrass singer.
  • Albert G. Jenkins, planter, lawyer, politician, and Confederate general.
  • Alberta Gallatin Jenkins, stage and screen actress, daughter of Albert G. Jenkins.
  • Evan Jenkins: State Senator and US Congressman of West Virginia.
  • Ezra Midkiff, MLB player for the Cincinnati Reds and the New York Yankees.
  • Katie Lee, television personality and chef.
  • O.J. Mayo, NBA player.
  • Breece D’J Pancake, short story author.
  • Brett Rowe, stock car driver.
  • Sampson Sanders, slaveholder famous for freeing his 51 slaves upon his death in 1849.
  • Eli C. D. Shortridge, third governor of North Dakota from 1893 to 1895; born in Cabell County.
  • Jason Starkey, NFL player for the Arizona Cardinals.
  • Ruth Sullivan, autism advocate.
  • Milton Supman, comedian known professionally as Soupy Sales (attended Huntington High School).
  • Phil Swann, singer.
  • Jim Thornton, announcer on Wheel of Fortune.
  • Bill Walker, NBA player.
  • Kayla Williams, gymnast and gold medalist (attended Huntington High).
  • Carter G. Woodson, founder of Black History Month (moved to attend Douglass High School).
  • Steve Yeager, MLB player for the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Seattle Mariners, co-MVP of the 1981 World Series.

See also

  • Beech Fork State Park
  • Cabell County Courthouse
  • Green Bottom Wildlife Management Area
  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Cabell County, West Virginia

References

  • County website
  • Cabell-Huntington Convention and Visitors Bureau
  • Cabell County Assessor
  • Cabell County Schools
  • Cabell County Public Library