This Week in West Virginia History: July 21-27

CHARLESTON — The following notable events occurred on these dates in West Virginia history. For more information, visit e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia.

July 21, 1924: Don Knotts was born in Morgantown. The comedy legend will forever be remembered for his role as Barney Fife in The Andy Griffith Show.

July 22, 1859: Athlete “Jack” Glasscock was born in Wheeling. Glasscock played barehanded and was one of the best shortstops in baseball of the 19th century.

July 22, 1937: Musician Tommy Thompson was born in St. Albans, Kanawha County. With his group, the Red Clay Ramblers, and a career that spanned four decades, Thompson played a major role in the dissemination of early music.

July 23, 1863: Financier and industrialist Isaac Thomas Mann was born in Greenbrier County. As president of the Bank of Bramwell and the Pocahontas Fuel Company for three decades, “Ike” Mann had vast interests in coal, lumber and financial institutions.

July 23, 1919: Novelist Davis Grubb was born in Moundsville. He achieved fame with his first novel, The Night of the Hunter (1953), a gripping suspense story that was made into a film in 1955 and adapted for television in 1991.

July 24, 1823: Arthur Boreman, the first governor of West Virginia, was born in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania. His family moved to Middlebourne, Tyler County, when he was an infant.

July 24, 1919: Sam Taylor of Mercer County became the first patrolman of the West Virginia State Police. During his tenure, Taylor tracked down bootleggers and illegal liquor dealers and helped organize new state police units.

July 24, 1929: Cornelius Charlton was born in East Gulf, Raleigh County. Charlton was killed in the Korean War and was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

July 24, 1942: Actor Chris Sarandon was born in Beckley. A film, stage and television performer, some of his credits include The nightmare Before Christmas, The Princess Brideand an Oscar nomination for Dog day afternoon.

July 24, 1983: Kansas City Royals player and Glen Dale resident George Brett was involved in the “Pine-Tar Bat Incident.” After hitting a game-winning home run against the New York Yankees, umpires ruled that Brett’s bat contained too much pine tar and called him out, resulting in a brawl at home plate.

July 25, 1864: A colony of eight Catholic nuns left Washington, D.C., and Frederick, Maryland, for Parkersburg. The sisters founded a convent there, named it DeSales Heights, and ran a boarding school for young women for 75 years.

July 26, 1942: Camp Washington-Carver was dedicated and opened to the public. Located in Clifftop, Fayette County, the camp was the first statewide 4-H camp for African Americans in the country. The camp’s Great Chestnut Lodge is the largest log building in West Virginia.

July 27, 1896: Clark Kessinger was born near Charleston. He was one of the most prolific and influential fiddlers of the 20th century and a key figure in West Virginia traditional music.

July 27, 1909: Coach “Dyke” Raese was born in Davis, Tucker County. He led West Virginia University to its first major national sports championship, winning the National Invitation Tournament in basketball in 1942.