(Photo by Calvin Shepherd - Use By Permission)
Alderson West Virginia - A History
Census Statistics
In 1880, one year before Alderson was incorporated, the population was 478.
In
1940
the
population
of
Alderson
corporation
was
493.
In
1950
it
had
decreased
very
little
to
489,
but
in
1960
it
was
1225.
Thus
Alderson
lost
18%
in
population
from
1950
to
1960.*
Of
the
1225
people
in
1960,
774
lived
on
the
North
side
and
451
lived
on
the
South
side,
565
were
male,
660
were
female;
1076
were
white
and
149
were
Negro.
The
town
had
462
households
and
but
50
of
the
households
were
Negro.
There
were
131
boys
under
14 years of age and 159 men over 55.
In
a
survey
published
n
January,
1955,
generally
known
as
the
'Kellogg
Report",
entitled
Greenbrier's
Schools
and
Communities,
there
was
a
quantity
of
statistical
material
about
the
communities
of
Greenbrier
County.
It
is
generally
thought
these
statistics
have
changed
but
little
from
1954
to
1964,
and the 1960 census verifies this opinion.
This
study
showed
that
the
percentage
of
children
was
lower,
and
the
percentage
of
old
people
higher,
in
Alderson
than
anywhere
in
Greenbrier
County.
Fourteen
per
cent
of
Alderson’s
population
had
attended
college.
Alderson
had
the
highest
percentage,
38%
of
its
student
enrollment
in
high
school,
leading
the
county,
but
only
3%
of
its
school-enrolled
youth
were
going
to
college.
The
survey
showed
35%
of
the
families
in
Alderson
had
incomes
below
average,
37%
average,
and
28%
above
average
in
comparison
with
the
county.
Twentytwo
people
earned
their
living
in
coal
mining
and
thirteen
in
timbering.
Only
one
per
cent
of
Alderson’s
residents
were
professionals,
the
lowest
in
Greenbrier
County.
Forty
per
cent
of
Alder-
son’s
housewives
had
employment.
The
Methodist
Church
claimed
34.7%
membership
and
the
Baptist
Church
34.7%,
the
Presbyterian
Church
8.4%,
and
other
denominations
1.4%
indicating
that
79.2
of
the
people
of
Alderson
belonged
to
a
church.
Six
per
cent
of
Alderson’s
population
were
members
of
a union and 74% of the families owned their own homes.
The
census
figures
show
Alderson
had
its
largest
population
in
the
1940
census,
1493.
Below
are
the
comparisons
of
population:
1920
-
1401;
1930
- 1458; 1940 - 1493; 1950 - 1489; 1960 - 1225.
On
May
28,
1964,
West
Virginia
University
released
estimates
of
the
population
as
of
July
1,
1963
for
West
Virginia.
Greenbrier
County
had
lost
4.45%
population
from
1960
to
July
1,
1963.
If
Alderson
lost
no
more
than
the
county
average
it
had
a
population
of
about
1170
according
to
the
University’s estimate.
The
oldest
citizen
of
Alderson
is
Anna
Eliza
Settles
who
was
102
years
old
May
29,
1964.
She
was
born
in
St.
Lion,
Virginia,
May
29,
1862,
Anna
Eliza Keene. She married George Washington Settles.
*In
comparison
West
Virginia
had
a
net
loss
of
7%
and
Greenbrier
County
12.3%
loss
in
population
from
1950
to
1960.
Ref:
U.
S.
Census
1940,
1950, 1960.
The contents contained in this series is copyrighted and the sole property of The Greenbrier Historical Society - Lewisburg, WV Used by permission - November 18, 2008
Main Index
The History of Alderson, West Virginia
From The Journal Of The Greenbrier Historical Society On Alderson, West Virginia
Written by Kenneth D. Swope - Compiled and Transcribed by Barry Worrell
