Upshur County at the Dawn of the Civil War
Author and historian M.A. Kleen joins Martha Jett to discuss his article, “‘A Kind of Dreamland’: Upshur County, WV at the Dawn of Civil War,” published in Ohio Valley History. Kleen holds a master’s degree in history from Eastern Illinois University and a master’s degree in education from Western Illinois University.
Their conversation explores Clarksburg’s importance as a Union transportation and supply center, military activity in Buckhannon, the Battle of Rich Mountain, and the divided loyalties of Upshur County residents. Kleen also shares stories preserved in Marcia Phillips’ Civil War diary, offering a personal look at how soldiers and civilians experienced the conflict.
Read A King of Dreamland here.
Read more on Kleen’s work at his blog: https://michaelkleen.com/author/makleen/
M. A. Kleen is an author, historian, photographer, and U.S. Army veteran with graduate degrees in history and education. His lifelong interest in the Civil War has included visiting and documenting battlefields, conducting original research, and supporting battlefield preservation. His nonfiction has appeared in Ohio Valley History, Historic Illinois, and the Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society. He is also the editor of Spirit61.info, a digital encyclopedia devoted to the early Civil War in Virginia. After serving in Iraq, Kleen worked in intelligence analysis and data science and now serves as a federal program analyst in northern Virginia.
Credits
Host, Research, & Scheduling: Martha Jett
Production & Marketing: Clarksburg History Museum volunteers
Music: West Virginia Mountain Melody performed by Steve Peters
Special thank you to: Martha Jett, Beth Gain, & John Joseph
All images courtesy of M.A. Kleen