BECKLEY — Four local individuals have been recognized as West Virginia History Heroes for going beyond the call of duty and ensuring the success of local history, genealogy, preservation and museum organizations.

Dale Payne, Jeff Miller, Ann Skaggs and Jack C. Wills were among 44 people acknowledged during a History Day program and ceremony Feb. 18 at the Culture Center in Charleston.

“They were recognized individually and received a great deal of attention,” said Joseph Geiger Jr., secretary of the Archives and History Commission of the West Virginia Division of Culture and History.

According to Geiger, those recognized received a certificate, pen and ribbon denoting each as a West Virginia History Hero, in addition to a lot of praise.

“More than 500 West Virginians have been honored by local organizations across the state for their grassroots efforts,” Geiger said.

“Some sweep the historical society offices, some write books or preserve historical elections,” he explained. “You can only be a History Hero one time, but you can be nominated for a variety of things.”



As for being nominated for myriad things, Dale Payne is an active member of the Fayette and Raleigh Counties Genealogical Society, former president of the Fayette County Historical Society and author or co-author of nine books on Fayette County.

The Fayetteville native was nominated by the Fayette and Raleigh Counties Genealogical Society, where he has also participated in numerous activities and shares his expertise in research, Fayette County history and pioneer life.



Former Beckley resident Jeff Miller is a high school teacher in New Port Richey, Fla., but his contribution to preserving the history of Raleigh County and West Virginia comes through a Web site he created and maintains.

The site began in 1999 as a means of allowing Woodrow Wilson High School alumni to contact fellow graduates but quickly grew into more with the addition of a Raleigh County timeline, pictures, historical documents, books and other materials.

Miller was nominated by the Raleigh County Historical Society.



Ann Skaggs of Ansted served as secretary of the Fayette County Historic Landmark Commission from 1997 to 2009.

She received her History Hero nomination from the commission, but was also active in fundraising and planning for a statue of the Marquis de Lafayette and wrote several grant applications for the project, which came to fruition in 2004.

Skaggs has supported the Fayette County Historical Society museum and has served as a hostess and interpreter for visitors.

Additionally, she arranged for the cleanup of Westlake Cemetery and placement of new historic markers, and prepared information on Ansted for the New River Convention and Visitors Bureau Web site, survey forms for the Hawks Nest Rail Trail and three Civil War trail signs for Ansted.



Jack C. Wills, of Fairmont has worked tirelessly to preserve the old Cooper’s Mill, the only remaining grist mill in Summers County.

He helped organize Friends of Cooper’s Mill Inc. to help preserve the mill and restore it to working condition.

Wills has manned a booth at Hinton Railroad Days for several years to raise awareness and funds for the project and has co-authored two brochures on the historic structure.

Nominated by Summers County Historical Society, he also hosts the Early Little Bluestone Community Reunion.



The 2010 History Heroes are the 14th class to pass through West Virginia History Day at the Legislature since it was designated in 1997 by the West Virginia Archives and History Commission as a special day to recognize the state’s rich and varied history.

Co-sponsors of West Virginia History Day are the Friends of Culture and History, Mining Your History Foundation, Preservation Alliance of West Virginia, West Virginia Association of Museums, West Virginia Division of Culture and History, West Virginia Historical Society and West Virginia Humanities Council.

— E-mail: cclark@register-herald.com