Theodore Stump was born on April 7, 1949, and grew up in southern New Jersey. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Delaware. During his early years, he worked in various factories, including General Motors. In 1978, he relocated to West Virginia as part of the rural revival of the 1970s. Attracted by the promise of free gas, he moved to Doddridge County, where he quickly learned about the separation of land and mineral rights. Stump became involved in the local landowners’ association and began advocating for the rights of landowners against gas extraction companies.