James Lord Pierpont was not a hit either time. The popularity of the song, however, grew with the passage of time to the point where it became one of the most popular and recognizable songs of the Christmas holiday. The original lyrics to "The One Horse Open Sleigh" as written by James Lord Pierpont in 1857 are as follows: <poem>Dashing thro' the snow, In a one-horse open sleigh, O'er the hills we go, Laughing all the way; Bells on bob tail ring, Making spirits bright, Oh what sport to ride and sing A sleighing song to night. Jingle bells, Jingle bells, Jingle all
Francis Harrison Pierpont the time of West Virginia's statehood this included at least some measure of control about thirteen counties claimed by the newly admitted state. In 1864 Pierpont called a Constitutional Convention in Alexandria that recognized West Virginia and abolished slavery, and promulgated the civil Constitution in force in Virginia until 1869. On May 9, 1865, one month after the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia, President Andrew Johnson appointed Pierpont as the Provisional Governor of Virginia. Pierpont immediately re-located the seat of government to Richmond. Pierpont followed a policy of forgiveness to those politicians who had served in the Confederate