Peter Cline Buffington
{{Short description|First mayor of Huntington, West Virginia}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Peter Cline Buffington
| image = Peter Cline Buffington (9981061536).jpg
| office = Mayor of Huntington
| term_start = 1871
| term_end = 1874
| birth_date = {{birth date|1814|09|22}}
| birth_place = Guyandotte, West Virginia, US
| death_date ={{Death date and age|1875|04|18|1814|09|22}}
| death_place = Huntington, West Virginia, US
| spouse = Eliza Jane Stanard Buffington
Louisa I. Garland Buffington{{cite journal|url=https://mds.marshall.edu/cabell_wayne_hist_soc_collection/905/|title=Mrs. Louise Garland Buffington, (Mrs. Peter Clyne Buffington I)|journal=0099: Cabell-Wayne Historical Society Collection |date=17 March 2021 |publisher=Marshall University|accessdate=August 1, 2024}}
}}
Peter Cline Buffington was the first mayor of Huntington, West Virginia.{{cite web|url=https://wvhistoryonview.org/catalog/027189|title=Peter Cline Buffington, First Mayor of Huntington, W. Va.|publisher=West Virginia University|accessdate=August 1, 2024}}{{cite web|url=http://fifthavenuebaptist.org/about-us/history|title=5th Street Baptist - The Early Years|publisher=5th Street Baptist - Huntington, WV|accessdate=August 1, 2024}}
Career
Before becoming mayor, Buffington was the first president of the first bank in Huntington, West Virginia, The Bank of Huntington.{{cite book|title=History of West Virginia|url=https://archive.org/details/historyofwestvir01call/page/437/mode/1up?q=buffington|year=1923|publisher=The American Historical Society|location=Chicago, Illinois|accessdate=August 1, 2024}}{{cite web|last=Casto|first=James|date=March 21, 2023|url=https://www.herald-dispatch.com/special/lost_huntington/lost-huntington-the-city-s-first-bank/article_b4e77699-22fd-5e2d-922a-4346b322a2eb.html|title=Lost Huntington: The City's First Bank|publisher=Herald Dispatch|accessdate=August 1, 2024}}
On December 31st, 1871, an election was held where Buffington was elected the first mayor of Huntington. After being elected, Buffington pushed for an election of a marshal and the recruitment of a police force, this group was later authorized to appoint a special police force to handle a large crowd that was attending a circus in the city.{{cite web|url=https://www.wvencyclopedia.org/articles/751|title=Huntington - The West Virginia Encyclopedia|publisher=The West Virginia Encyclopedia|accessdate=August 1, 2024}}{{Cite book |last=Wallace |first=George Selden |title=Cabell County Annals and Families |publisher=Clearfield Company |year=1935 |edition=2nd |pages=170–180}}
Personal life
Buffington had five children with his two spouses: Willie Ann and Edward with Eliza Jane; Garland, Peter Jr., and Juliette with Louisa.{{cite web|url=https://www.frontiernet.net/~campmobile/MaMerrill20031021/p50.htm|title=Peter Cline Buffington|publisher=Yahoo|accessdate=August 1, 2024}}
Namesakes
Buffington Elementary School, built in 1872, was named after Peter Cline Buffington and his family. The building was demolished in 1996 after John W. Clark Oil Co. purchased it for future commercial construction.{{cite web|last=Casto|first=James|date=March 23, 2015|url=https://www.herald-dispatch.com/special/lost_huntington/lost-huntington-buffington-elementary/article_647103d3-d146-5625-bfd2-ae2e7dd3d993.html|title=Lost Huntington: Buffington Elementary|publisher=Herald Dispatch|accessdate=August 1, 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://wvde.state.wv.us/downloads/2013/150/History%20of%20Education%20WV%201907.pdf|title=The History of Education in West Virginia|publisher=West Virginia Department of Education|accessdate=August 1, 2024}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Mayors of Huntington, West Virginia}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Buffington, Peter Cline}}
Category:19th-century mayors of places in West Virginia
Category:Mayors of Huntington, West Virginia
Category:Burials at Spring Hill Cemetery (Huntington, West Virginia)
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