Disclaimer: I-am-not-remotely-an-expert.

Have you considered the purple-stemmed (or purplestem) aster, Symphyotrichum puniceum? (Or is there more than one aster with purple stems?)

Apparently its flower color can vary (just about anything except yellow, orange, or green). The width of the petals varies too.

https://gobotany.newenglandwild.org/species/symphyotrichum/puniceum/

http://www.wildflower.org/gallery/species.php?id_plant=SYPU

Might be Symphyotrichum puniceum

I dunno? I went back and looked at the plant that I think is Purple stem Aster and The Purple on the stems, the seven foot tall plant, the very wet footprint and the stiff hair on the stems seem to ID it pretty good. It has been blooming now for several weeks. These darker purple with larger flowers and less than two feet tall are just now beginning to bloom in my area. I started looking at Showy Aster because of this description, "bracts oblong, sticky, with spreading green tips." and " Phyllaries are strongly spreading and densely glandular" Are there other Asters with that trait? I would be alright with the ID being Showy Aster if the references said they occur in WV

Here is a link that might be useful: Showey Aster description