Kellian Whaley

American politician

Kellian Van Rensalear Whaley

Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from West Virginia's 3rd district
In office
December 7, 1863 – March 3, 1867
Preceded by| District created
Succeeded by| Daniel Polsley
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Virginia's 12th district
In office
March 4, 1861 – March 3, 1863
Preceded by| Henry A. Edmundson
Succeeded by| District eliminated
Personal details
Born| (1821-05-06)May 6, 1821
Utica, New York, U.S.
Died| May 20, 1876(1876-05-20) (aged 55)
Point Pleasant, West Virginia, U.S.
Political party| Union
Republican
Profession| Politician, Lumberman
Military service
Allegiance|  United States
Branch/service|  West Virginia Militia
Years of service| 1861-1863
Rank| major
Unit| 9th West Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment

Kellian Van Rensalear Whaley (May 6, 1821 - May 20, 1876) was a nineteenth-century lumberman and congressman from Virginia before the American Civil War and West Virginia after the state's creation. During the Civil War, Whaley was major of the 9th West Virginia Volunteer Infantry and captured during a Confederate raid, but escaped his captors.

## Early life

[edit]

Whaley was born in Utica, New York, on May 6, 1821. He married Louisa Mary Perdue (1828-1908), who survived him. Their sons included Charles Monroe Whaley (1850-1918), Warren Clayton Whaley (1852-1931), Harlan L. Whaley (1854-1936), Fulton Morse Whaley (1856-1907), Carlisle Landers Whaley (1859-1944) and James Whaley (b. 1859), as well as daughters Mary J. Whaley Fry (1847-1925) and Ida Belle Whaley Allen (1861-1946).

## U.S. Congress

[edit]

Whaley worked in Point Pleasant, Virginia[1] (now West Virginia) in the lumber business until the Civil War. Whaley was elected a Unionist to the United States House of Representatives in 1860, representing Virginia's 12th congressional district and served from 1861 to 1863. He lost his seat due to Virginia's secession from the Union.

## Civil War

[edit]

During the Civil War, Whaley recruited men for the Union Army. Commissioned as major of the 9th West Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment, Whaley was captured by Confederate forces under the command of General Albert Gallatin Jenkins on November 10, 1861, during a Confederate raid on the town of Guyandotte, West Virginia (now a neighborhood of Huntington, West Virginia). While being marched up the Guyandotte River, Major Whaley escaped his captors at Chapmanville in Logan County and made his way to safety by traveling up Big Harts Creek in Lincoln and Logan counties to Queens Ridge in Wayne County, West Virginia.[2]

## U.S. Congressman

[edit]

After creation of the new state of West Virginia, Whaley won election from West Virginia's 3rd congressional district as a Unionist, serving from 1863 to 1867. From 1863 to 1865, he was chairman of the Committee on Invalid Pensions. Whaley was a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1864. He was chairman of the Committee on Revolutionary Claims from 1865 to 1867. He served on the Congressional committee that accompanied the body of President Abraham Lincoln on the funeral train as it was returned from Washington to Springfield.[1] He did not seek reelection in 1866, and was replaced by fellow Republican Daniel Polsley. In 1868, he served as collector of customs at Brazos de Santiago, Texas.

## Death and legacy

[edit]

Whaley died in Point Pleasant, West Virginia, on May 20, 1876.

## See also

[edit]

* American Civil War portal

* United States congressional delegations from West Virginia

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Tyler, Lyon G. (1915). Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography. New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company. pp. v.3, p.133. Retrieved on November 22, 2008.
2. ^
* United States Congress. "Kellian Whaley (id: W000318)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

U.S. House of Representatives

Preceded by

Henry A. Edmundson

|  Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Virginia's 12th congressional district
March 4, 1861 - March 3, 1863  | District Eliminated
New district |  Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from West Virginia's 3rd congressional district
December 7, 1863 - March 3, 1867  | Succeeded by

Daniel Polsley

* v
* t
* e

Members of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 12th congressional district

* Page
* Evans
* Stratton
* Griffin
* Bassett
* J. Roane
* W. Roane
* Garnett
* J. Roane
* J. J. Roane
* Gordon
* Garland
* Gilmer
* Chapman
* Preston
* Edmundson
* Whaley
* (inactive 1863–present)

* v
* t
* e

Members of the U.S. House of Representatives from West Virginia

1st district|

* Blair
* C. Hubbard
* Duval
* J. J. Davis
* B. Wilson
* Goff
* Pendleton
* Atkinson
* Pendleton
* Dovener
* W. Hubbard
* J. W. Davis
* Neely
* Rosenbloom
* Bachmann
* Ramsay
* Schiffler
* Ramsay
* Schiffler
* Neely
* Love
* Ramsay
* R. Mollohan
* Moore
* R. Mollohan
* A. Mollohan
* McKinley
* C. Miller

2nd district|

* Brown Sr.
* Latham
* Kitchen
* McGrew
* Hagans
* Faulkner
* Martin
* Hoge
* W. Wilson
* Dayton
* T. Davis
* Sturgiss
* Brown Jr.
* Bowers
* Allen
* Bowman
* Randolph
* M. Snyder
* Staggers Sr.
* Benedict
* Staggers Jr.
* Wise
* Capito
* Mooney
* Moore

3rd district|

* Whaley
* Polsley
* Witcher
* Hereford
* Kenna
* C. Snyder
* Alderson
* Huling
* Dorr
* Johnston
* Gaines
* Littlepage
* Avis
* Littlepage
* Reed
* Wolverton
* O'Brien
* Wolverton
* Hornor
* Edmiston
* Rohrbough
* Bailey
* Rohrbough
* Bailey
* Slack
* Hutchinson
* Staton
* Wise
* Rahall
* Jenkins
* C. Miller

4th district|

* Gibson
* C. Hogg
* Jackson
* C. Smith
* Capehart
* W. Miller
* Freer
* Hughes
* Woodyard
* Hamilton
* Moss
* Woodyard
* Johnson
* Woodyard
* Hughes
* R. Hogg
* Johnson
* Ellis
* Burnside
* Neal
* Burnside
* Neal
* Hechler
* Rahall

5th district|

* Hughes
* Cooper
* Goodykoontz
* Lilly
* Strother
* Shott
* John Kee
* E. Kee
* James Kee

6th district|

* Littlepage
* Echols
* Taylor
* England
* J. Smith
* Hedrick
* Byrd
* Slack

At-large|

* Sutherland

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF
* WorldCat

National|

* United States

People|

* US Congress

Other|

* SNAC

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