Beckley, Gen. Alfred b. May 26, 1802 d. May 26, 1888 Brigadier-General of the Virginia Militia, physician, preacher, and philanthropist. On July 1, 1823, he graduated from the U. S. Military Academy, ninth in a class of 35. He served in the military for 13 years prior to settling in Raleigh County, Virginia (now West Virginia). In 1846, he served as a delegate at large from Virginia to the National Democratic Convention at St. Louis. At the beginning of the Civil War, he served as a Brigadier-General of the Virginia Militia, under the command of...[Read More] (Bio by: Steve Corley) Wildwood Cemetery, Beckley, Raleigh County, West Virginia, USA
Gorsica, Johnny b. March 29, 1915 d. December 16, 1998 Major League Baseball Player. His real name was John Gorczyca. The 6-foot-2 right-hander spent seven years with the Detroit Tigers from 1940 to 1944 and 1946 to 1947. He was 7-7 with a 4.33 earned run average in 160 innings pitched as a rookie. He followed with a 9-11 record and a 4.47 ERA for 171 innings. His career totals were 31-39, a 4.18 ERA and 12 complete games in 23 starts. He was 14-8 in relief. (Bio by: Ron Coons) Sunset Memorial Park, Beckley, Raleigh County, West Virginia, USA
Lilly, Everett b. July 1, 1924 d. May 8, 2012 Musical Pioneer. Primarily a mandolinist, he shall be remembered as a premiere bluegrass performer of two generations. Raised in Raleigh County near Beckley, West Virginia, he worked briefly in the coalmines and got his start in the music business in 1938 performing with his brother Bea (1921-2005) on WJLS in Beckley. The brothers soon added banjoist Don Stover and were appearing as "The Lilly Brothers" in ever-larger venues throughout the South. In the early 1950s Mr. Lilly worked in Nashville...[Read More] (Bio by: Bob Hufford) Workmans Creek, Clear Creek, Raleigh County, West Virginia, USA
Meadows, Clarence Watson b. February 11, 1904 d. September 12, 1961 Governor of West Viginia. He attended Washington and Lee University, received a law degree from the University of Alabama in 1927, and became an attorney, first in Alabama, and then in West Virginia. He served in the West Virginia House of Delegates from 1931 to 1933, and was Raleigh County Prosecuting Attorney from 1933 to 1937. In 1936 he was elected state Attorney General, serving from 1937 until he resigned in 1942 to accept appointment as a West Virginia Circuit Court Judge. In 1944 he was...[Read More] (Bio by: Bill McKern) Wildwood Cemetery, Beckley, Raleigh County, West Virginia, USA Plot: Section 2, Lot 10, Grave 8 (Meadows Plot) GPS coordinates: 37.7733002, -81.1725006 (hddd.dddd)
Smith, Hulett C. b. October 21, 1918 d. January 15, 2012 Governor of West Virginia. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 27th governor of the state of West Virginia from 1965 to 1969. The son of former US Congressman Joseph L. Smith, he attended Beckley College and Wharton School of Finance and Administration of the University of Pennsylvania (where he majored in Economics), prior to his service with the US Navy during World War II (elevated to lieutenant commander in the Naval Reserve). Upon his return home, he worked for his family's...[Read More] (Bio by: C.S.) Sunset Memorial Park, Beckley, Raleigh County, West Virginia, USA
Smith, Joseph Luther b. May 22, 1880 d. August 23, 1962 US Congressman. Elected to represent West Virginia's 6th District in the United States House of Representatives, serving from 1929 to 1945. Also served as Mayor of Beckley, West Virginia, from 1904 to 1929, Member of the West Virginia State Senate from 1909 to 1913, and Alternate Delegate to the Democratic National Convention from West Virginia in 1952. (Bio by: K) Sunset Memorial Park, Beckley, Raleigh County, West Virginia, USA
b. May 26, 1802 d. May 26, 1888