HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 32

(By Delegates Prunty, Fantasia and Caputo)




Requesting that the Department of Transportation, Division of Highways, rename the South Side Bridge on Adams Street in Fairmont, Marion County, West Virginia, the Francis H. Pierpont Bridge in honor of the first governor of the restored government of Virginia, and the father of West Virginia statehood.

Whereas, Francis H. Pierpont was born in Middleton, Monongalia County, now Marion County, and practiced law in Fairmont after a long and distinguished political career, and is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in Fairmont; and
Whereas, Francis H. Pierpont was unanimously elected by the delegates of the Wheeling convention of 1861 to serve as the first Governor of the restored government of Virginia; and
Whereas, Governor Pierpont convened the 1864 convention of the restored government which abolished slavery; and
Whereas, Governor Pierpont was a zealous proponent of the statehood movement of the western counties of Virginia and advanced seminal arguments for the formation of the new state of West Virginia; and
Whereas, Governor Pierpont exercised wisdom and foresight in restoring war-scarred state institutions, including mental asylums, colleges, and the Supreme Court; and
Whereas, In 1869, Governor Pierpont was elected to the West Virginia House of Delegates from Marion County; and
Whereas, Governor Pierpont was appointed Collector of Internal Revenue by President James Garfield; and
Whereas, Governor Pierpont's statue was placed in Statuary Hall of the United States Capitol in 1910 honoring his service to the people of Virginia, West Virginia, and the United States; and
Whereas, The Legislature of West Virginia, and the people of this State are indebted to Governor Pierpont for his unique role in the formation and preservation of the government of West Virginia; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Department of Transportation, Division of Highways, is hereby requested to rename the bridge currently known as the South Side Bridge on Adams Street in Fairmont, Marion County, West Virginia, the Francis H. Pierpont Bridge; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates is hereby directed to send copies of this resolution to the Secretary of the Department of Transportation and the Mayor of Fairmont.