Representative Wells Goodykoontz

Wells Goodykoontz (June 3, 1872 – March 2, 1944) was an American lawyer, banker, and Republican politician who served in both the West Virginia Legislature and the United States Congress. A member of the Republican Party, he represented West Virginia’s now-defunct 5th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives from March 4, 1919, to March 3, 1923, during the 66th and 67th United States Congresses. Over the course of his public career he held a series of influential state and national posts, including President of the West Virginia Senate and, ex officio, Lieutenant Governor of West Virginia.

Goodykoontz was born near Newbern, in Pulaski County, Virginia, on June 3, 1872. He was educated under private tutors in his youth and pursued formal studies at Oxford Academy in Floyd, Virginia. He later attended the Washington and Lee University School of Law in Lexington, Virginia, where he prepared for a legal career. After completing his legal education, he was admitted to the bar in 1893.

In 1894, Goodykoontz moved to Williamson, in Mingo County, West Virginia, where he began the practice of law. Establishing himself as a prominent attorney in the region, he also entered the banking field, developing business interests that complemented his legal work. His professional standing in Williamson provided a platform for his entry into public life and helped to anchor his later political influence in southern West Virginia.

Goodykoontz’s political career began in the West Virginia House of Delegates, where he represented Mingo County in 1911 and 1912. He then advanced to the West Virginia State Senate, serving from 1914 to 1918. During this period he rose to a position of considerable authority in state government, becoming President of the West Virginia Senate in 1917. By virtue of that office he also served ex officio as Lieutenant Governor of West Virginia from 1917 until December 1, 1918, playing a leading role in legislative affairs during the World War I era.

In addition to his legislative responsibilities, Goodykoontz was active in the legal profession at the state level. He served as president of the West Virginia Bar Association in 1917 and 1918, reflecting his prominence among his peers. During the First World War he chaired the central legal advisory board for West Virginia, a body that assisted with legal and administrative issues arising from wartime mobilization, including matters related to the draft and civilian obligations.

Building on his state-level service, Goodykoontz was elected as a Republican to the Sixty-sixth Congress in 1918 and was re-elected in 1920 to the Sixty-seventh Congress, serving from March 4, 1919, to March 3, 1923. As a Representative from West Virginia, he participated in the legislative process during a significant period in American history marked by postwar adjustment, economic change, and the early years of Prohibition. In the House of Representatives he represented the interests of his constituents in West Virginia’s 5th congressional district and took part in the broader democratic process of national lawmaking. His bid for re-election in 1922 to the Sixty-eighth Congress was unsuccessful, ending his tenure in federal office after two terms.

After leaving Congress, Goodykoontz returned to Williamson, where he resumed the practice of law and continued his involvement in banking. In addition to his professional and business pursuits, he engaged in writing, further extending his activities beyond elective office. He remained associated with the community that had been the base of his legal and political career for many years.

Wells Goodykoontz died in Cincinnati, Ohio, on March 2, 1944. His remains were returned to West Virginia, and he was buried in Fairview Cemetery in Williamson. His career encompassed significant roles at both the state and national levels, including service in the West Virginia House of Delegates, the West Virginia Senate, the presidency of the state senate, and two terms in the United States House of Representatives.