Dr. John E. Stealey III, of Shepherdstown, has been named to the McMurran Hall Board of Trustees. Stealey, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of History, retired in 2011 after a teaching career at Shepherd University that spanned 42 years. During his years as a history professor, he instructed approximately 7,500-8,000 students. His courses in West Virginia and Appalachian and lower Shenandoah Valley history became legendary among students.

A seventh generation West Virginian from Clarksburg, Stealey received his education at West Virginia University where he earned his Ph.D in history in 1970. He served 21 years as president of the Jefferson County Historical Society and for 24 years edited its annual journal. He also served as president of Old Charles Town Library, Inc., and was on its board of directors. Since 1984, he has chaired the visiting committee of the West Virginia University Libraries.

Stealey is a member of the Sons of Revolution and numerous professional associations including the Southern Historical Association, Organization of American Historians, American Historical Association, and Virginia Historical Society. He has published 37 articles, encyclopedia entries and chapters of books; reviewed 41 books for scholarly journals and published three books with academic presses. Stealey’s fourth book, “West Virginia Civil War Era Constitution: Loyal Revolution, Confederate Counter-Revolution, and the Convention of 1872,” to be published by the Kent State University Press, will appear in 2013.

Stealey pursues an active research and writing schedule at his Shepherdstown home where he resides with his wife, Patricia, and keeps horses.

Stealey joins current McMurran Hall trustees Bill Knode and Michael Taylor. Knode, a Shepherd University alumnus, is chair of the Board of Directors of Jefferson Security Bank and a member of the Shepherd University Foundation Board of Directors. Taylor, a historic restoration expert, is the owner of Michael F. Taylor, Inc., a building contractor firm located on German Street. The business does new homes, restorations, and remodeling.

The board of trustees of McMurran Hall is a self-perpetuating body of three provided for in the Shepherd Brooks deed of trust dated April 21, 1891. Shepherd Brooks was the grandson of Rezin Shepherd, who built McMurran Hall in 1859. After briefly serving as the county seat after its construction, McMurran Hall became the home of Shepherd College when it was founded in 1871. The building has been leased continuously to Shepherd since the trusteeship was established.