The West Virginia Hand Book and Immigrant’s Guide

An uncommon and early guidebook to the ‘infant’ state of West Virginia.

Though not claiming to be exhaustive upon a subject capable of filling volumes, this Manual possesses the merit of supplying, from a personal observation and professional experience of twenty-five years, that class of unvarnished facts and figures, which, in my official correspondence, forms the subject of the most general inquiry. It is hoped that its freedom from all romance and exaggeration may secure for it the attention and confidence of that class of honest and enterprising workers in both hemispheres, whom we are most anxious to welcome as permanent settlers to our infant state. – Preface.

This informative volume on West Virginia was compiled by J.H. Diss Debar and published in 1870 in Parkersburg by the Gibbens Brothers. The French-born Debar (1820 – 1905) was State Commissioner of Immigration and designed the seal and coat of arms of West Virginia upon statehood in 1863. The title page presents a few of the numerous subjects covered within, including a historical outline, major industries, character of the residents, agriculture, internal improvements, demographics, land prices, and a short summary of each county.

A fold-out map by G.W. & C.B. Colton presents a detailed overview of the state, including cross sections of the economically important oil and coal regions. The date and capital city are both marked out, indicating the plate was reworked from an earlier version.