Source: HISTORY OF THE PAN-HANDLE WEST VIRGINIA 1879
Page 346

     W. K. Pendleton, the subject of the present sketch, now President of Bethany College, and superintendent of education in the state, is a native of Louisa county, Virginia. He is of English descent, and springs from a family many of whose members have from early periods of our history occupied distinguished positions in both state and national councils.

     His early education as carefully conducted under the tuition of the best teachers, and after completing his preparatory course he entered the University of Virginia with the view of gratifying himself under the able instruction of Professor Davis for the profession of law. A portion of this tie was also given to the academic course of the institution and at the close of this third session he was licensed he practice his profession.

     In 1840 he married a daughter of the distinguished reformer Alexander Campbell, and removing to Bethany was appointed in 1841 to the chair of natural philosophy in Bethany College. In 1844 he was associated with Mr. Campbell in the editorship of the Millennial Harbinger, and continued in that relation until 1864, when he became editor and proprietor until its discontinuance in 1870, after which he was soon associated with the Christian Standard as assistant editor, which relation he still occupies. After the death of his first wife, he was a second time married to another daughter of Mr. Campbell. This union was also a brief duration, and after her demise he contracted a third marriage with his present wife, a daughter of Judge Leicester King, of Ohio.

     In 1871, he was elected by the concurrent action of both political parties, to represent his senatorial district in the convention, held at Charleston, for the purpose of framing a new state constitution. Whilst a member of that body, besides taking a prominent part in all of its most important deliberations, he was especially active in the promotion of every measure in furtherance of the educational interest of the state.

     In 1873, President Pendleton was appointed by Governor Jacob to fill a vacancy in the office of state superintendent of education and in 1877 he was elected to the same position by the voice of the people.

     President Pendleton is a gentleman of fine literary culture, devoted more especially to the deep questions that affect humanity in the broad fields of theology, psychology, social and political science, and with the active intellectual energy necessarily resulting from such a course of study, possesses the ability to discuss philosophically all the great social problems that are continually arising in the midst of free advanced thought and a free people.

     (Please note. The book has a much longer bio. of this man. You can stop at the library for further details.)