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- [S3021] USGenWeb Archives- Mingo County.
Alonzo C Pinson, sheriff (1) fact
20250712GHLn-
20250712GHLn- http://files.usgwarchives.net/wv/mingo/bios/pinson.txt
Mingo County, West Virginia
Biography of ALONZO C. PINSON
This biography was submitted by Valerie Crook,
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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. 587
Mingo
ALONZO C. PINSON, sheriff of Mingo County, and one of
the popular citizens of Williamson, the county seat, was
born in Pike County, Kentucky, December 26, 1876, and is
a son of Thomas B. and Louisa (Matney) Pinson, the for-
mer of whom was likewise born in Pike County and the lat-
ter of whom was born in Virginia, both families having
been founded in America many generations ago. It is sup-
posed that the lineage of the Pinson family traces back to
Spanish origin and that the first representative of the line
in America was a Spaniard named Pinzon, who came over
with Columbus. Thomas B. Pinson long held prestige as
one of the substantial farmers of hia native county.
The sheriff of Mingo County profited by the advantages
of the public schools of his native county, and his disci-
pline included four months' attendance in high school. At
the age of sixteen years he initiated his service as a teacher
in the rural schools, and he continued his successful peda-
gogic work four years. He then came to Mingo County,
West Virginia, and became manager of the general store
of Morgan & Judd at Matewan. Later he became manager
of a branch office of the Yellow Poplar Lumber Company at
Buckhannon, where he remained one year. In 1899 he came
to Williamson, where he continued to be employed as clerk
in a general store until 1905, when he resigned to give his
attention to his duties as mayor of the city, to which posi-
tion he had been elected by a gratifying majority. In 1903
he had served as city recorder, and he was a member of
the city council in 1904, at the time of his election to the
office of mayor, in which he served seven consecutive terms,
or until 1915, when he was retired by the provisions of the
act passed by the State Legislature that changed the mu-
nicipal government of Williamson to the commission form.
His long tenure of office shows alike the efficiency of his
administration and the estimate placed upon him by the
community. After completing his regime as mayor Mr.
Pinson was here engaged in the real estate business three
years, besides conducting a retail grocery business. He then
became a traveling salesman for the Williamson Grocery
Company, with which concern he continued hia connection
until he assumed the office of county sheriff, on the 1st of
January, 1921.
Mr. Pinson is affiliated with O'Brien Lodge No. 101, Free
and Accepted Masons, at Williamson, with the local chapter
of Royal Arch Masons, with the Temple of the Mystic
Shrine at Charleston, and has received the eighteenth de-
gree in the Scottish Rite of the time-honored fraternity.
He is a popular member also of the Williamson Lodge of
the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. During the
World war he served as a member of the draft board of
Mingo County. He is a staunch democrat, and he attends
and supports the Presbyterian Church, of which hia wife is
an active member.
On December 4, 1902, Mr. Pinson was united in marriage
with Miss Belle Maynard, who was born and reared in
Pike County, Kentucky, a representative of a family early
founded in America. Sheriff and Mrs. Pinson have no chil-
dren.
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1842 - 1913 (70 years)
