West Virginia's 4th congressional district

West Virginia's 4th congressional district is an obsolete district existing from 1883 to 1993. While the district's bounds were changed many times over the years, from the 1940 redistricting to the 1970 redistricting, the district was focused on Huntington and the industrial mill towns north of that city. In the 1970 redistricting, the district focused on Huntington and the rural coal producing areas of southwestern West Virginia. Today most of the last version of the old 4th district is the western half of the current 3rd district.

History

The 4th district was formed in 1882. It originally consisted of Pleasants, Wood, Ritchie, Wirt, Calhoun, Jackson, Roane, Mason, Putnam, Cabell, Lincoln and Wayne counties. In 1902, Tyler Braxton, Gilmer, and Doddridge were added, while Putnam, Cabell, Lincoln and Wayne were removed. The district was totally reconstituted in 1916 as Tyler, Pleasants, Wood, Wirt, Jackson, Roane, Mason, Putnam, and Cabell counties. In 1934, Wayne and Lincoln were added. The district was unchanged for 1952. In 1962, Logan was added. In 1972, the district was totally reconstituted as Cabell, Logan, McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, Raleigh, Wayne and Wyoming counties. The district was abolished in the 1992 redistricting.

List of representatives

Representative	Party	Dates	Cong ress	Notes
District created		March 4, 1883
Eustace Gibson	Democratic	March 4, 1883 – March 3, 1887	48th 49th
Charles E. Hogg	Democratic	March 4, 1887 – March 3, 1889	50th
James M. Jackson	Democratic	March 4, 1889 – February 3, 1890	51st	Lost contested election
Charles B. Smith	Republican	February 3, 1890 – March 3, 1891	51st	Won contested election
James Capehart	Democratic	March 4, 1891 – March 3, 1895	52nd 53rd
Warren Miller	Republican	March 4, 1895 – March 3, 1899	54th 55th
Romeo H. Freer	Republican	March 4, 1899 – March 3, 1901	56th
James A. Hughes	Republican	March 4, 1901 – March 3, 1903	57th
Harry C. Woodyard	Republican	March 4, 1903 – March 3, 1911	58th 59th 60th 61st
John M. Hamilton	Democratic	March 4, 1911 – March 3, 1913	62nd
Hunter H. Moss, Jr.	Republican	March 4, 1913 – July 15, 1916	63rd 64th	Died
Vacant		July 15, 1916 – November 7, 1916
Harry C. Woodyard	Republican	November 7, 1916 – March 3, 1923	64th 65th 66th 67th
George W. Johnson	Democratic	March 4, 1923 – March 3, 1925	68th
Harry C. Woodyard	Republican	March 4, 1925 – March 3, 1927	69th
James A. Hughes	Republican	March 4, 1927 – March 2, 1930	70th 71st	Died
Vacant		March 2, 1930 – November 4, 1930
Robert L. Hogg	Republican	November 4, 1930 – March 3, 1933	71st 72nd
George W. Johnson	Democratic	March 4, 1933 – January 3, 1943	73rd 74th 75th 76th 77th
Hubert S. Ellis	Republican	January 3, 1943 – January 3, 1949	78th 79th 80th
Maurice G. Burnside	Democratic	January 3, 1949 – January 3, 1953	81st 82nd
Will E. Neal	Republican	January 3, 1953 – January 3, 1955	83rd
Maurice G. Burnside	Democratic	January 3, 1955 – January 3, 1957	84th
Will E. Neal	Republican	January 3, 1957 – January 3, 1959	85th
Ken Hechler	Democratic	January 3, 1959 – January 3, 1977	86th 87th 88th 89th 90th 91st 92nd 93rd 94th
Nick Rahall	Democratic	January 3, 1977 – January 3, 1993	95th 96th 97th 98th 99th 100th 101st 102nd	Redistricted to the 3rd district
District eliminated		January 3, 1993

References

• Martis, Kenneth C. (1989). The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
• Martis, Kenneth C. (1982). The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
• Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774–present