Mercer County Veterans Museum

08/01/2026

A General from Greenbriar County taken from a post by Judy Durand.
West Virginian follows General Pershing as Chief of Staff of Army on recommendation of General Pershing.
General John Leonard Hines was born in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, on 21 May 1868 and went to school in the city of his birth.
He passed away in Washington, DC in 1968 and interred in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA.
After high school, he was tutored to take a test to enter West Point and he went to Charleston and won first place. He was told to report to West Point in June of 1887, graduating in the Class of 1891.
General Hines spent forty-four years of active duty, including service in the War with Spain, the Cuban Pacification, the Philippine Insurrection, the Punitive Expedition into Mexico, and World War I, and advanced on the retired list of the Army in 1940 as full General by special Act of Congress.
In 1924, General Hines succeeded General Pershing as Chief of Staff of the Army, on the latter’s recommendation, having served as General Pershing's Deputy Chief of Staff for the preceding two years.
Following WWI, General Pershing wrote of him: “He is able, efficient, conscientious, and loyal, all to a superlative degree. Commanded in battle from regiment to corps in World War and won outstanding distinction in every position. An exceptionally fine officer in every respect. No limit to any command whatever or Chief of Staff. One of the fine developments of the war. A natural leader, capable in all respects. No. 1 on list of general officers known to me.’’
During a brief return to the United States, on 19 December 1898, in Columbus, Ohio, he married Harriet Schofield (Rita) Wherry, one of the daughters of Colonel Wherry. Two children were born of this marriage, Alice Grammar in 1900, and John Leonard Jr. (USMA 1927), in 1905.
Early in his military career General Hines gained the reputation for sagacity, tact, and dependability which made him ever an outstanding leader.
Of fine soldierly appearance and bearing, standing well over six feet, by his presence alone he inspired men on and off the battlefield. Never unduly demonstrative and wholly devoid of flamboyance or loquacity his calm forthrightness and effective consideration for those about him evidenced one of his favorite maxims that loyalty works both way—up and down.
The Army and the Nation are the better for his having served them.
-Charles L. Bolte General U.S.A. Ret.

Send a message to learn more

07/18/2026

Phylenia French's presentation at the Railroad Museum on her book has been rescheduled to September 12 @2:00.

Send a message to learn more

07/17/2026

Author Phylenia French shares her book about growing up in the coalfields at @2:00 this Saturday, June 18, 2026 at the Railroad Museum. Come hear her stories and get a free booklet about The History of Princeton.

Send a message to learn more

07/06/2026

A new exhibit.

07/06/2026

New exhibit.

07/04/2026

03/11/2026

https://www.memorialfd.com/obituary/rebecca-whitlow

Rebecca Jane Betty Blankenship Whitlow, 94, of Elgood, WV, passed away peacefully on March 8, 2026 at her home in Elgood, WV surrounded by her loved ones. For many years, the family has gathered at her home every Sunday at 200 for dinner. This Sunday, the family gathered around her

12/11/2025

Doris Miller

Doris Miller’s skin color usually relegated him to the role of cook and laundry attendant aboard USS West Virginia, but when the ship was struck by multiple bombs and torpedoes on December 7, he became one of its most vital crewmembers. Miller had rushed to his battle station amidships as soon as the shooting started. Finding it destroyed, the amateur boxer sprinted to the quarterdeck and used his hulking frame to help move the injured. Miller was among the men who carried the ship’s mortally wounded skipper to safety, and he then helped pass ammunition to the crews of two .50 caliber machine guns.

Despite having no weapons training, he eventually manned one of the weapons himself and began blasting away at the J*panese fighters swarming around the ship. “It wasn’t hard,” he later remembered. “I just pulled the trigger and she worked fine…I think I got one of those J*p planes. They were diving pretty close to us.”

Miller continued to operate the gun for some 15 minutes until ordered to abandon ship. His actions earned him the Navy Cross—the first ever presented to an African American—and he was widely hailed as a war hero in the black press. He later toured the country promoting war bonds before being reassigned to the es**rt carrier Liscome Bay. Sadly, Miller was among the 646 crewmen killed when the ship was later torpedoed and sunk in 1943.