Aretas Brooks Fleming (October 15, 1839October 13, 1923) was the
8th governor of West Virginia. In 1865, he married
Carrie Watson.
["West Virginia's First Ladies," West Virginia Division of Culture and History, June 2007.] When he ran as the Democratic nominee in
the election of 1888, the election was disputed by the Legislature. In 1890, the Legislature agreed that Fleming had defeated
Nathan Goff, Jr.
Nathan Goff Jr. (February 9, 1843 – April 23, 1920) was a United States representative from West Virginia, a Union Army officer, the 28th United States Secretary of the Navy during President Rutherford B. Hayes administration, a United States ...
Both Fleming and Goff were sworn in as governor on March 4, 1889.
The
Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia
The Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia is the state supreme court of the state of West Virginia, the highest of West Virginia's state courts. The court sits primarily at the West Virginia State Capitol in Charleston, although from 1873 t ...
ruled that outgoing governor
Emmanuel Willis Wilson would remain governor; State Senate President Robert S. Carr had claimed authority until the Court reached its decision. In 1890, the Legislature agreed that Fleming had defeated Nathan Goff, Jr. As a result, Fleming did not assume the office until February 6, 1890. He left office in 1893 and continued to practice law, and pursue business interests, specifically in the coal industry.
Fleming, along with his brother-in-law Clarence W. Watson, formed many coal companies, and sought to remove their competitors.
[
Fleming died on October 13, 1923, in ]Fairmont, West Virginia
Fairmont is a city in and county seat of Marion County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 18,313 at the 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Fairmont Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Marion County, a ...
.[ He is interred at Woodlawn Cemetery. A large obelisk marks his grave.]
See also
*List of governors of West Virginia
The governor of West Virginia is the head of government of West VirginiaWV Constitution article VII, § 5. and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces.WV Constitution article VII, § 12. The governor has a duty to enforce state law ...
References
West Virginia Archives & History
External links
*The West Virginia & Regional History Center
The West Virginia & Regional History Center (WVRHC), is the largest archival collection housing documents and manuscripts involving West Virginia and the surrounding central Appalachian region. Because of name changes over the years, it is some ...
at West Virginia University
West Virginia University (WVU) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Morgantown, West Virginia. Its other campuses are those of the West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Beckley, Potomac State College ...
houses the papers of Aretas B. Fleming withi
A&M 40
an
A&M 568
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fleming, Aretas B.
Politicians from Fairmont, West Virginia
Democratic Party governors of West Virginia
1839 births
1923 deaths
Burials at Woodlawn Cemetery (Fairmont, West Virginia)
19th-century American politicians
Governors of West Virginia