Ohio County, West Virginia    Biography of James Brewer SOMMERVILLE

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Submitted by Sue Schell <ms_schell@hotmail.com>, March 2000
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The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.,
Chicago and New York, Volume II,
Pg. 394 & 395

BIO: James Brewer Sommerville, Ohio Co., WV

	James Brewer Sommerville was born near Bethany, Brooke County, Virginia 
(now West Virginia), June 5, 1852.
	His parents were William M. Sommerville, a native of Harrison County, 
Virginia (now West Virginia), and Margaret A. Sommerville, whose maiden name 
was Margaret A. Steele, and who was a native of Belmont county, Ohio.
	His paternal ancestors were of Norman stock, while the maternal line was 
Irish.  His father, although without early educational opportunities, was a 
man of unusual mental powers, comprehensive knowledge and strict integrity.  
His mother, while not highly educated, was a woman of strong common sense 
and was of irreproachable character.
	The son showed but little interest in educational matters until he was 
about fifteen years old, when he developed a strong taste for miscellaneous 
reading.  This naturally led to a desire for a better education.  He 
attended the public school at Bethany during parts of the winters of 1868 
and 1869, where he made rapid progress.
	In the spring of 1870 the family moved to the vicinity of Clinton, Ohio 
County, West Virginia.  Here the young man while performing the duties of a 
farm hand, diligently pursued the studies which he began in the Bethany 
public school, and continued his of general reading.
	In the fall of 1871 he determined to become a student of the West Liberty 
Normal School.  West Liberty, the seat of this school, was, however, nearly 
four miles away, and he was without the means of supporting himself away 
from home.  This problem he solved by resolving to board at home and walk to 
and from school every day.  He accordingly entered this institution in the 
fall of 1871, about two months after the beginning of the session, and 
continued until the close thereof, in June, 1872.  During the summer and 
fall of 1872 he worked part of the time on a farm, and part of it for a man 
who had a contract for macadam work on a public road in the community.  In 
the winter of 1872-1873, he taught a country school.
	During all this time he continued his studies and general reading, and in 
the spring of 1873 again became a student of the West Liberty Normal School, 
resuming his daily walks between his home and the school, and graduated with 
the class of 1873.  After this he taught school one year in Ohio County, 
and, the family moving in the meantime returned to Brooke County, he became 
a student in Bethany College, in which he took special courses in 
mathematics and languages.  While a student in this institution he was 
nominated by the democratic party of Brooke county for the House of 
Delegates, to which position he was elected, serving in the session of that 
body for the year 1877, and being the youngest member thereof.
	After serving in the Legislature he worked on the farm in the summer and 
taught school in the winter, and pursued the study of law whenever he had an 
opportunity to do so, and was admitted to the bar in the fall of 1878.  He 
opened his first law office in Wellsburg, the county seat of his native 
county, on April 1, 1879, and soon became one of the leading members of that 
bar.  He continued to practice in Wellsburg until the summer of 1887, when 
he located in Wheeling, the chief city of the state, where he still resides.
He has served on the boards of regents of the Normal schools, the Deaf, Dumb 
and Blind Institute, and the West Virginia University, remaining a member of 
the latter body for nine years.
	In 1884 he was elected to the State Senate from the First District of West 
Virginia, composed of the counties of Hancock, Brooke and Ohio, and 
including the City of Wheeling.  While serving in this body, during the 
session of 1887, he was the recognized leader of the caucus forces of the 
democratic party in the most bitter and most memorable contest for a seat in 
the United States Senate that has ever occurred in the history of the state, 
during which, although he was not a candidate, he was repeatedly voted for 
that office, and on several ballots lacked but a few votes of being elected.
	Shortly after he located in Wheeling he became local counsel for the 
Pennsylvania Railroad System, and several years later became solicitor 
therefor, and was placed in charge of the legal matters thereof for the 
State of West Virginia, which position he held until he was called to the 
bench.  In addition to this he enjoyed an extensive and successful general 
practice, which frequently called him to the courts of adjoining states.
	In the early part of the month of September, 1918, a vacancy occurred in 
the office of judge of the Circuit courts of the First Judicial circuit by 
reason of the death of Hon. H. C. Hervey, who had held the position, by 
successive elections for a number of years and who was one of the ablest 
judges the circuit has known.
	The law, as it then was, provided for the filling of this vacancy by 
executive appointment, the appointee to serve until the next general 
election, in November, 1919.  It also provided that at that election a judge 
should be chosen for the circuit, for the full term of eight years, 
beginning January 1, 1921.
	Shortly after the death of Judge Hervey the members of the bar of the first 
Circuit met and, without regard to political considerations, and against Mr. 
Sommerville’s judgement and against his wishes, selected him to fill the 
vacancy, and unanimously requested Governor Corwell to appoint him thereto 
which he promptly did.  At the election of November, 1919, the name of Judge 
Sommerville was, without his solicitation, placed on the tickets of both the 
republican and democratic parties, and he was unanimously chosen to fill 
Judge Hervey’s expired term.  And at the election of November, 1920, his 
name was, without his solicitation, placed on the tickets of both parties, 
and he was unanimously chosen for the full term of eight years.  He is now 
serving under the last election, with general satisfaction to both the bar 
and the public.