West Virginia Charleston Mission History
Of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Unofficial Site)
Compiled by Christopher Lowe, WVCM Alumnus 1992-1994
Areas that I served in:
Morgantown WV
Roanoke VA
Pearisburg VA
Marietta OH
Charleston WV
Lynchburg VA
Fairmont WV
Spencer WV
St Albans WV
Huntington WV
Olive Hill KY
WVCM History
Missionary work began in West Virginia in 1832, then part of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Luke S. Johnson and William W. M'Lellin spread the gospel in Cabell County. "The Prophet Joseph Smith visited Wheeling on April 4, 1832, and purchased paper for the Church's press..." (Deseret News Church Almanac 1999-2000 pg. 263). Forty converts were baptized that year. A branch was started in Shinnston, Harrison County in 1836. In 1837 most members of the Church residing in what is now West Virginia left to join the other Saints in Missouri.
Missionary work didn't start again until 1881. "...Elder John E. Carlisle and Elder Joseph L.Townsend toured in Mc Dowell County and baptized three adults" (Deseret News Church Almanac 1999-2000 pg. 263).
The West Virginia Conference was established in 1889.
West Virginia was in the Eastern States Mission in 1897, Middle States Mission in 1902, and then back to the Eastern States Mission.
The West Virginia Conference was split into the North and South Conferences in 1930.
The first West Virginia Stake was created in 1970- the Charleston West Virginia Stake. In 1979 the Fairmont West Virginia Stake was established. The Huntington Stake was organized in 1982 and moved to Owingsville Kentucky in 1995.
The West Virginia Charleston Mission was created 1 July 1980, from the Ohio Columbus Mission, Virginia Roanoke Mission, and the Pennsylvania Pittsburgh Mission. It is the 188th Mission of the Church. The first Mission President was O. Rex Warner. The Virginia Roanoke Mission became the Virginia Richmond Mission in 1992 with about half of the Roanoke Mission joing the West Virginia Charleston Mission.
In 1997 there were 12,000 members of the Church in the State of West Virginia, 2 Stakes, 17 Wards, and 18 Branches.
In 1998 there were four Stakes in the Mission: Charleston and Fairmont West Virginia and Pembroke and Roanoke Virginia. There were Wards and Branches located in the States of West Virginia, Virginia, Ohio and Maryland.
The Mission Office has moved since I served. It was in the old Daniel Boone Hotel (405 Capitol Street-downtown) and now it's in Oakwood Centre on Oakwood Road in the South Hills part of Charleston.
*source used for all information above was the Deseret News Church Almanac 1999-2000 edition.
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