Upshur County took its name from Abel P. Upshur whom President Tyler appointed Secretary of State to succeed Daniel Webster. Upshur was killed 28 February 1844 by the explosion of a new type of cannon which was being tested on the U.S.S. _Princeton_.
Also in March 1851, from the counties of Tyler, Wood and Ritchie the new county of Pleasants was established. This lies in the area around Parkersburg in the northwestern part of West Virginia, along the Ohio River. The name honored the memory of James Pleasants, Governor of Virginia, 1822 to 1825, member of a family long resident and prominent in the state.
Five years passed and in the interval population had increased to such an extent in the western part of Virginia that four county governments had to be set up to take care of legal needs. One of these, Wise, formed from portions of Lee, Scott and Russell counties, remains in Virginia. The name honored Henry A. Wise, Governor of Virginia 1856-1860.
The bounds of the county were as follows: "Beginning at the break of Cumberland mountain on the Kentucky and Virginia line where the Pound fork of Sandy breaks through the Cumberland mountain; thence up the Pound fork to the mouth of Crane's nest, a water of said Pound fork; thence with the dividing ridge between the waters of Crane's nest and McLure's, to William Taylor's farm, including said Taylor's farm in the new county; thence a straight line to the mouth of Lick creek; thence down Clinch river to the mouth of Guest's river; thence up Guest's river one mile; thence a straight line to the Camp rock south of the High Knob; thence a straight line to the Pole fence on Little Powell's mountain, on the line dividing Scott and Lee counties; thence with said county line to the head of Stock creek including the farm of Zachariah N. Wells in the said county; thence a straight line to the Cedar gap near Powell's river; thence a straight line to the dividing ridge between the waters of Crab orchard and Pigeon fork; thence with said dividing ridge to the Kentucky line and thence with the Kentucky line to the beginning."
In the Act creating the county it was ordered that the "said seat of justice shall be known as Gladesville," but the present county seat is called Wise.