This weekend many of us will take time out of our busy schedules to celebrate Father’s Day. On this day we pause to honor our fathers and grandfathers. Often they served as teachers and mentors, breadwinners and role models. They helped us to learn, grow and become the men and women we are today.

Fathers, on this special day we salute you and thank you for the many contributions that you have made to our families, our communities, and our Nation.

West Virginia is well known as the birthplace of Mother’s Day, however Father’s Day has its early roots right here in West Virginia, as well. One of the first modern Father’s Day celebrations was held on July 5, 1908, during a church service at what is today the Central Methodist Church in Marion County. It is this tradition of honoring our mothers and fathers, and all that is important to us, which truly makes “family” the spirit of West Virginia. 

The West Virginia family has a rich and fascinating history, and as we celebrate our own fathers on this special weekend we will also celebrate West Virginia Day on June 20th, and pause to honor one of the founding fathers of our great State, Francis H. Pierpont. Many people know that West Virginia was formed during the early days of the Civil War by seceding from Virginia to oppose its decision to withdraw from the Union. West Virginia achieved statehood by the proclamation of President Lincoln on the provision that West Virginia would support the gradual abolishment of slavery in its newly formed constitution.

What many people do not know, is that if it were not for Francis Pierpont, known today as the “Father of West Virginia”, our great state might not exist as it does today.

Francis H. Pierpont was an American lawyer and politician who served as governor of the Union controlled parts of West Virginia during the Civil War. After the war he served as the Governor of all of Virginia. Born near , Pierpont grew up in western Virginia, and was an active supporter of . Pierpont was very outspoken, and opposed Virginia’s from the . After Virginia seceded, several parts of Virginia refused to join the Confederacy and established a separate government with Pierpont as the provisional governor. Pierpont’s leadership helped to finally call for a popular vote and the creation of a new and separate state. Following congressional approval, West Virginia was admitted into the Union on June 20, 1863, making West Virginia the 35th state.

Francis Pierpont was so revered by his fellow West Virginians that when each state was asked to submit two statues to be included in the United State Capitol Statuary Hall, Francis Pier-pont was chosen as one of the two statues. Today his statue stands in the United States Capitol as a tribute to his role as a founding father of West Virginia and our proud state history.

This weekend we honor all those whose guidance and devotion have provided support and strength not only among their own families, but for our State and Nation as a whole.

U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV) represents West Virginia’s 3rd District and serves as Chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources.