Among the newspaper's proprietors was Alexander W. Monroe, a prominent Romney lawyer who had previously served as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates (1850–1851).

Monroe and co-owner Job N. Cookus left the newspaper to serve in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.

[1][2][9] The Virginia Argus and Hampshire Advertiser newspaper billed itself as "A Family Newspaper—Devoted to Politics, Agriculture, Education, General News, and Amusement.

[7][8] After Trowbridge had edited and published the newspaper for seven years, its limited success did not meet his expectations, and in 1857 he sold the operation to Samuel R. Smith and John Joseph Combs.

[1][8][9][11] After a few months of ownership and experience,[1] Parsons sold the newspaper to Alexander W. Monroe, a prominent Romney lawyer and onetime member of the Virginia House of Delegates, and Job N. Cookus in 1861.

[1][8][9][12][13] Monroe and Cookus continued serving as the proprietors, editors, and publishers until the outbreak of the American Civil War, when they joined the Confederate States Army.

[1][2][8][12][13] Following his service in the war, Monroe was elected to represent Hampshire County in the West Virginia House of Delegates in 1875, during which time he served as the Speaker.

[3][5][20] The offices of the Virginia Argus were housed in an old stone edifice north of the Hampshire County Courthouse that had previously served as the home of the Romney Academy before its 1846 disestablishment.

In a series of articles in the Virginia Argus, he declared that Faulkner had originally offered his services at no cost; that he had been lauded publicly for his generosity in doing so without ever denying that he had been working pro bono; and that he was practicing "duplicity and deception" in trying to win a reputation in his district through "specious acts of munificence".