Our Collection

At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Hagans, Lucian A. (fl. 1861-1863) to George W. Koonce

High-resolution images are available to schools and libraries via subscription to American History, 1493-1943. Check to see if your school or library already has a subscription. Or click here for more information. You may also order a pdf of the image from us here.

Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC08606.01 Author/Creator: Hagans, Lucian A. (fl. 1861-1863) Place Written: Alexandria, Virginia Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 8 October 1863 Pagination: 2 p. ; 20.3 x 25.3 cm. Order a Copy

Hagans, Secretary of the Commonwealth for the Reorganized Government of Virginia, discusses the admission of Jefferson County into the State of West Virginia. Informs Koonce that "Although an officer of the State of Virginia, yet I think Jefferson should be included in the new State, because of the liberality of its Constitution, identity of interest with West Virginia, and because its admission would bring the B. T. O. R. R. within the jurisdiction of the States of Maryland and West Virginia." Reports that the vote of Jefferson County has been certified by West Virginia Governor Francis Harrison Pierpont. Urges Koonce to promptly attend a convention in Wheeling, West Virginia, stating that the Legislature of Virginia will meet 1 December 1863, and "the Act giving the consent of this State to your becoming part of the new State, might be repealed." Written on Commonwealth of Virginia stationery.

Koonce served as a Justice of the Peace for Jefferson County and as a town constable for Harper's Ferry, then 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.

[excerpt]

... I write you in reference to the admission of your County into the State of West Virginia ... Jefferson should be included in the new State because of the liberality of its Constitution, identity of interest with West Virginians; and because its admission would bring the B & 0 R R within the jurisdiction of the States of Maryland and West Virginia … Let one urge you to proceed at once to Wheeling and secure the passage of a bill granting admission ... besides the Llegislature of Virginia will convene on the 1st Monday of December, and the Act giving the Consent of this State to you be coming part of the new State might be repealed ...

Hagans, Lucian A., fl. 1861-1863
Koonce, George W., 1818-1908
Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814-1899

Citation Guidelines for Online Resources