Koonce, George W. (1818-1908) to Alston Gordon Dayton
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC08606.08 Author/Creator: Koonce, George W. (1818-1908) Place Written: Halltown, West Virginia Type: Autograph letter signed Date: circa 28 September 1896 Pagination: 1 p. : address : docket ; 25 x 17.9 cm. Order a Copy
Discussing party politics in West Virginia, informs Dayton "We have a Democratic County with a large majority wich we earnestly hope to reduce." Reports that when Dayton previously ran for office, "the democrats paid about 200 ... voters in this County $5,00 apiece to erase your name, and the priviledge of voting the rest of the ticket, I have this from a reliable democrat a short time since. You must work like a Beaver to the last hour of the Campaign." Possibly referring to William McKinley's presidential campaign, states, "I think McKinley is sure of his election."
Koonce served as a Justice of the Peace for Jefferson County and as a town constable for Harper's Ferry, Virginia, in the early 1860s. He was a County representative at the 1861 Second Wheeling Convention to vote on the secession of Western Virginia, a member of the West Virginia State House of Delegates from Jefferson County 1865-1867, and a member of the West Virginia State Senate, 11th District, 1870-1871. Dayton served as a United States Representative from West Virginia 1895-1906.
[excerpt]
...When you ran in '94 the democrats paid about 200 col[ored] voters in this county $5 apiece to erase your name, and the privilege of voting the rest of the ticket. I heard this from a reliable democrat ...
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