HURRICANE – West Virginia became a state because they stood on principle. Originally a part of Virginia, they rejected the rebellion of the Confederacy in favor of membership in the Union. It is fitting that a key West Virginian could have a pivotal role in standing on principle and helping add another state to the union – Puerto Rico. Weekly Newsletter × Sign up By signing up you agree to receive email newsletters or alerts from West Virginia Record.You can unsubscribe at any time. Protected by Google ReCAPTCHA.