Trust honors legacy of pioneering local physician Dr. Phoebia G. Moore

State Treasurer Riley Moore on Tuesday presented an unclaimed property check valued at more than $1 million – the fourth-largest unclaimed property return in state history – to the Dr. Phoebia G. Moore Trust Fund, a charitable trust set up by a trailblazing local doctor that will benefit the students of Mannington Middle School.

Treasurer Moore presented the check worth $1,092,820.91 to trust representatives, local officials, and school faculty and students Tuesday afternoon at Mannington Middle School.

Dr. Phoebia G. Moore - Approx. 1902-03

“I’m honored to be able to return this sizable amount of money to the community, fulfilling the dream of Dr. Moore to benefit the children of Mannington,” Treasurer Moore said. “Dr. Moore’s life story is an inspiration, and I’m glad her pioneering legacy will continue to thrive through the children of this school.”

Dr. Phoebia Moore grew up on a Marion County farm and was the first female to study medicine at West Virginia University in the late 1800s. She served Mannington and the surrounding communities for more than 50 years, traveling from house to house at first by horseback then in her Model-T Ford.

Among her charitable gifts made upon her death in 1952, she established a trust designed to benefit the library of Mannington High. Mannington High would later be consolidated into North Marion High School in the late 1970s, but the building and its library was converted to Mannington Middle after the high school was moved.

The funds returned Tuesday were proceeds from some stock certificates and possibly dividends that had built up in an account over a period of time. After those shares were bought back by the company, all of the funds were turned over to the Unclaimed Property Division.

The Treasurer’s Office contacted and worked with Phil Prichard, President of Dr. Phoebia G. Moore Memorial Library Trust Fund Association, to return the assets to the trust and ensure they could be used to fund the library.

“We’re grateful to Treasurer Moore and his staff for helping to find and return this money back to us so it can once again greatly assist in fulfilling Dr. Moore’s dream of helping the children of Mannington,” Prichard said. “This large sum of funds can go a long way toward buying books and equipment, and related needs, for the students of Mannington Middle School, and assist in expansion to the other public schools for Mannington students. We look forward to putting it to good use.”

Treasurer Moore said his Office has more than $300 million in unclaimed property listings for individuals, businesses and other organizations. He encourages everyone to visit www.wvtreasury.com today to search and see if they have funds to claim.

State Treasurer Riley Moore pictured with Phil Prichard - President of the Dr. Phoebia G. Moore Memorial Trust Fund - city and county officials, and Mannington Middle School students and staff.

What is Unclaimed Property?

Unclaimed property can include financial accounts or items of value in which the owner has not initiated any activity for one year or longer. Common examples include unpaid life insurance benefits, forgotten bank accounts and unused rebate cards. (While the title includes the word “property,” it does not however include real estate.)

West Virginia’s unclaimed property laws protect the public by ensuring money and property owed to them is returned to them, rather than remaining permanently with financial institutions, business associations, governments and other entities. The Treasurer seeks to reunite the unclaimed property, including uncashed paychecks, stocks, or safe deposit box contents, with its owner.

Nationwide, nearly 33 million people in the United States – one in every 10 – are estimated to have unclaimed property available for them to claim.

How Can I Find Unclaimed Property in My Name?

West Virginians searching for lost financial assets can go to www.wvtreasury.com, then click on the large Unclaimed Property “Search” button to the right of the page under the heading, “Are We Holding Your Money?” In addition to finding property, the www.wvtreasury.com website will also help you track a claim.

A demonstration of how to use the Unclaimed Property search site is available on the Treasury’s YouTube page, at: https://youtu.be/K09yQ7YNKlE.

To search for lost financial assets outside West Virginia, visit www.MissingMoney.com.