Saint Joseph, West Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Saint Joseph
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 Saint Joseph
Location in West Virginia
Saint Joseph
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | West Virginia |
| County | Marshall |
| Elevation | 1,401 ft (427 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| GNIS ID | 1546246 |
Saint Joseph is a small place in Marshall County, West Virginia. It is called an unincorporated community. This means it's a group of homes and businesses that isn't officially a town or city with its own local government.
History of Saint Joseph
Early Settlers and Community Life
In the 1840s, many German Catholic families came to the United States. They bought land from a person named Isaac Hoge. These families started a farming community. It was about 6 miles from the Ohio River. This area was close to Fish Creek, in both Marshall and Wetzel Counties.
People often called this new settlement the "German settlement." The community built a large church on a hilltop. They also had a school next to it. Both the church and the school were named after Saint Joseph.
Post Offices and the Oil Boom
A post office opened in Saint Joseph in 1877. It helped people send and receive mail. This post office stayed open until 1908.
Later, oil was found under the farms in the area. This led to an "oil boom," meaning lots of oil was being discovered and drilled. During this busy time, the community even had a second post office! It was called Teutonia. Besides the post offices, Saint Joseph also had a community hall. This was a place for people to gather. There was also a country store where people could buy supplies.
