HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 92

(By Delegates Campbell, Pack, Sypolt, Rowan, Atkinson, Cooper, Hott, D. Kelly, Jennings, Westfall and Lavender-Bowe)

[Introduced February 17, 2020]

Requesting the Division of Highways name bridge number 13-036/00-000.09 (13A083), locally known as Howards Creek Bridge, carrying County Route 36 over Howards Creek in Greenbrier County, the “Mayor Abraham E. Huddleston Memorial Bridge”.

Whereas, Abraham Huddleston was born December 15, 1855, in Allegheny County, Virginia; and

Whereas, Due to the Civil War, educational opportunities for Abraham Huddleston were very scarce; however, the tribulations he experienced during the Civil War led Abraham Huddleston to have an entrepreneurial spirit through his life; and

Whereas, In 1869, at just 14 years old, Abraham Huddleston started work at a brick yard as a stable boy; later that same year he also worked at a general store, and also obtained a job as a freight and ticket agent for a railroad for a total salary of $11 per month; and

Whereas, Abraham Huddleston studied telegraphy to obtain a job in 1874 as an agent and operator in Callaghan, Virginia, at a salary of $35 per month; and

Whereas, The meager salary of an agent and operator drove Abraham Huddleston to resign from his post and purchase timber and land in Greenbrier County, West Virginia, in 1888 where Abraham moved his family to White Sulphur Springs which remained his home until his death; and

Whereas, Abraham Huddleston set up several businesses in White Sulphur Springs, the first being the White Sulphur Supply Company, a retail store for members of the community; the second the Mountain Milling Company which supplied the community with grain, feed and, later, electricity; and

Whereas, Abraham Huddleston was elected to be the first mayor of White Sulphur Springs and was also elected as a delegate to represent his constituents in the West Virginia Legislature for two sessions; and

Whereas, Abraham Huddleston was a devout member of the Methodist Church, supporting the church as a superintendent for Sunday school for almost 40 years, and later, Abraham represented his church in conferences across the United States of America as a member of the joint board of finance for the church; and

Whereas, Abraham E. Huddleston passed away in 1940 and was buried in Greenbrier County next to his first wife, Isabella Richardson, to whom he was married for 42 years and preceded him in death due to influenza in 1919, and next to his second wife, Elizabeth Peacock, who passed in 1953; and

Whereas, It is fitting that an enduring memorial be established to commemorate Mayor Abraham E. Huddleston and his contributions to our state and country; therefore, be it

Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That the Division of Highways is hereby requested to name bridge 13-036/00-000.09 (13A083), locally known as Howards Creek Bridge, carrying County Route 36 over Howards Creek in Greenbrier County, the “Mayor Abraham E. Huddleston Memorial Bridge”; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Division of Highways is hereby requested to have made and be placed signs identifying the bridge as the “Mayor Abraham E. Huddleston Memorial Bridge”; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House forward a copy of this resolution to the Commissioner of the Division of Highways.