Preston County Circuit Judge Steven Shaffer said he is proud of the historical Preston County Courthouse.
Shaffer said he has made some changes to the courtroom and has received a lot of feedback on how the changes have helped. He said he and former Circuit Judge Robert C. Halbritter both attended Tunnelton High School and it was both an honor and privilege to follow in his footsteps.
“As I travel around the state, I believe our courthouse is the most beautiful in the state,” he said. “And it’s good to have all the courts in one building.”
Changes made by Shaffer are not the only changes the historical courthouse has seen. It has a long and varied history. In fact, over the years, circuit court in Preston County has been held in a number of different “Court Houses.”
The first court convened in storekeeper John Robert’s building. It was known as the Old Red Courthouse. The first term of the Circuit or Superior Court (as it was known then) was held on the first Monday after the fourth Monday in April 1818. Judge Daniel Smith from Rockingham County presided. The building held a jury room, space for the clerk of the county and circuit courts, a bench, and bar. The jail was constructed of logs, and near it stood a whipping post.
In 1821 a two-story “Stone Courthouse” was built on the site of the present courthouse. It was constructed by Major William G. Zinn. A stone jail with a whipping post in front of it was also built. In 1845 a movement to move the county seat to Tunnelton failed and it remained in Kingwood. In 1856 it was decided the Stone Courthouse was too small. There was also discussion about moving the county seat to Albright.
The county court appropriated $8,000 for the new building. However, the lowest bid was $16,000. The county court declined raising its appropriation to that amount. A member of the supervisory committee, James C. McGrew was given permission by his associates to go forward on his own initiative. McGrew gathered together a workforce of men and began work on the courthouse in the fall of 1856.
McGrew didn’t give up when a storm blew in the unfinished walls. He immediately began rebuilding the courthouse. The cost, when completed was $8,000, plus and additional $1,500 to cover the storm damage. The courthouse built by McGrew served the county from 1857 to 1869.
On March 7, 1869 the courthouse burned to the ground from what appeared to be an incendiary act. Elihu Gregg, a local landowner, was suspected of the act and was indicted. On June 21, 1869, Governor W. E. Stephenson issued a proclamation ordering the Circuit Court to be held in the Preston Academy in Kingwood.
Gregg was tried in the Preston Academy on July 12, 1869 and was convicted. At that time incendiarism in West Virginia was punishable by death. He was sentenced to be hanged September 2, 1869. Before the sentence could be carried out, his attorney obtained an order from the Supreme Court for a new trial. That trial also ended in a conviction and Gregg was re-sentenced to be hanged on January 2, 1870. A few days later he was told he could have a choice between life in prison or being hanged. Gregg escaped from jail on November 1, 1869. He was tracked down, arrested again and was eventually pardoned by the Governor.
A clipping at Newspapers.com from Redding, PA (The Times, Dec 20, 1888), speaks of Gregg’s death: “Word has been received here that Elihu Gregg, who for 50 years had been the terror of the border farmers of Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio and Maryland was found dead a few days ago on the West Virginia mountains with a bullet hole in his breast. Gregg who was over 80 years old had just been released from prison in this county for horse stealing, and went at once to West Virginia, swearing he would kill certain persons, whom he charged with treachery to him. It is supposed that he met his death at the hands of one of these mountaineers while trying to carry out his threat. Gregg was a desperate character. In his long career as a horse and cattle thief he managed to elude justice with rare and cunning and skill.”
In 1870 a new brick courthouse was built to replace the one that was destroyed. McCafferty, Samlley & Menear constructed the building at a cost to the county of $11,000. The building was two stories high. An attempt to move the county seat to Terra Alta was made in 1910. The proposal promised a “new, modern, up-to-date county courthouse fireproof from basement to top of the dome donated by Terra Alta.” Information at the time promised an $80,000 courthouse and a free site for it to be built on. Once again, it was decided to keep the county seat in Kingwood.
The brick courthouse was torn down in 1933 and the current courthouse took its place. The sandstone for its facades was quarried locally. The final cost of the courthouse was $113,500.90. It was dedicated on August 25, 1934.
The soldiers’ monument located on the courthouse lawn was placed there to honor Preston County’s Civil War soldiers. In 1903 the Preston County Commission appropriated $1,000 to aid in the construction of the monument. The statue rests on top of a 36-foot-high granite monument inscribed with the words, “To the soldiers and sailors of Preston County.” The 40-foot-by-40-foot plot the monument stands on was leased from the county court for $5 in 1895. The lease was for 99 years. The monument was scheduled to be dedicated October 17, 1903 but a severe snowstorm delayed the dedication ceremony until October 31, 1903. Five thousand people attended the dedication, including 100 Civil War soldiers.
The cannon, a Columbian Siege Gun, located on the courthouse lawn, was last fired in April of 1861 during the battle of Fort Sumter. The cannon is 12 feet long and has an eight-inch bore. William G. Brown, the Kelly Post of the Grand Army of the Republic made arrangements for the cannon to be brought to Kingwood. It was sent by rail to the Kingwood Rail Station. It took three teams of horses to carry the 8,500-pound cannon to its final destination in Kingwood. The cost of delivery was $100. Although battles fought during the Civil War demanded more portable weapons, the Columbian and other guns developed by Thomas Rodman, Robert Parrott and John Dahlgren accounted for most of the heavy artillery used during the war.
On May 30, 2021 the Vietnam Veterans Monument will be dedicated on the courthouse lawn. The monument was purchased by Vietnam Veterans Chapter 977 in honor of all Preston County Vietnam Veterans who served during or remain missing in the Vietnam War.
Due to a need for more space, an annex was added across the street from the present courthouse. The first floor of the current courthouse is occupied by the Family Court. Magistrates Court is held on the second floor. The Circuit Clerk’s Office and the Judge’s chambers are on the top floor, as is the court room.
The courthouse annex, across the road from the main courthouse, is where the Sheriff’s Tax Office, the County Clerk’s Office and the Assessor’s office is located on the first floor. The Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, County Commission Office and the Preston County Health Department are located on the second floor of the annex.
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