Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-12-05
VIRGINiA'S GOVERNORS.
Prem she Discovery uniiI the Close or she
"ar-The in'errcsnum-ykder the New
Constitution.
fFor the DIsnntchI


fFor the Dispatch.J
The first Governor Of the Colony OF vIr-
ginis was Edward Nara Wingfeld 1901.
and the last Colonial Governor was John
Lord Dunmore [l772 TO 1T7Gl. John Smith
was The thiid Governor [l60sl. From 1907
10 l6Oy the cbief executive officer was
called President. Thomas West (Lord
DelawaTe] was the first STYLED Governor.
William Berkly was Governor three times
[l641. 1645, aud 1901. Alexander Spots
wood was never Governor OF the Colony,
as Is generally supposed. He was only
lieutenant to the Earl OF Orkney, from
ITO TO 1Is2. Orkney was Governor from
1Ic4 TO 17i9, when Lord Albemarle became
Governor. Norborne Berkeley Lord Bote-
tourt] was Governor from 176s 10 1710.
William Nelson was his lieutenant
1i1O-'T1. John Lord Dunmore was the
last OF the Colonial Governors f1772J7G.l
Patrick Henry was the first Governor Of
the state OF Virginia u716]. and was elect
ed for the second time l7Si-one hundred
years ago. Governors were then elected
by the Legislature. The first Governor
elected by the people was Joseph johnson,
OF Harrison county, under the Constitution
OF 1S49. Colonel johnson had been pre-
yiously elected by the Legislature, and
Of January, 1Sj2-qualifed under his cleo
ton by the people 18th Of January, 1852,
for four years. John Letcher was the third
Governor elected by the people 1860, and
was known as the war Governor. He was
succeeded by William Smith, OF Fauquier,
[lS64l. who had been once before elected
Governor in 1916 (by the Legislature1.
Governor Smiths service was suspended
9th Of April, 1865, the State being then
overrun by the Federal troops.
In 1861 Nth April Virginia seeded
from the Union-John Letcber Governor.
At convention OF diSsentients in North
west Virginia held at Wheeling Francis
II. Pierpoint, OF the county OF Marion. was
elected Governor OF Virginia, and qualified
10th June, 1861, in the presence OF the
Convention, and so Virginia had at one and
the same time two Governors.
In 1862, and again in 1864, Mr.. Pierpoint
was reelected Governor, and on 23d May,
1865, the Pierpoint Government was re-
moved to Richmond. Governor Smith, the
lawful Governor, having been superseded
by military force, and Pierpoint nominally
continued 10 act rs Governor to the close
Of his term, April q, 1868.
In point OF fact, from April 3, 1866, TO
January /, 1870, the State was under mill
tary rule. and Governor Pierpoint and his
| successor, ii. ii. Wells. by appointment OF
General Schotield on 9Th April, 1868, were
subject TO the orders OF military generals.
Q.) The first OF these was Maior-Genersl
Godfrey WeitzeI, u. s. ", from April 3
to April 10, 1865.
(2.) Major-Generala az. o. G.. Ord, U. S.
v. from April Is TO June IA, 1868.
(3.) Major. General Alfred II. Terry, u.
| S. ", June Ia, 1865, TO August IS, 1866.
a. Maior-General John NJ. Schofield, u.
| 6. ", August 10. 1866, to June =, 1865.
% Major General George Stonemap, U.
:. ", April 9, 1868, to April 90, 1869.
(6.) Maior-General T.. 5. Candy, U. 5. v,
April 90, 1869, to January %, 1870.
Under the new Constitution OF 1869. Gill
| bert &. Walker was elected Governor July
| 6, 1869, was inaugurated September 81,
1869, and his term expired December 81,
| 1873. lie was succeeded by James l..
Kemper, 1874; +. W. NJ. Holiday, 1873;
and the present Governor, William 4.
| Cameron, 1882.
OF the 'ante.belium Governors OF vir-
| ginia. William Smith. Of Fauquier, is the
| only survivor. His life has been one con-
| tinued illustration OF bcnevolence, high
| principles, noble purposes, and stern devO-
| ton TO what he held to be right-in peace
II
| family treside and in the political arena.
| Past the period allotted to the reach OF man,
| even "by reason OF great strength" he is
as straight as an arrow; walks nimbly az q
| youth. with mind clear as bell. Forniore
than fifty years he has held a promi-
bent position IN the politics OF the
state-again and again serving the people
| In their councils; and when long past
| the years Of military service, he led
| his old constituents in many hard-fought
battles. in one OF which he was desperately
wounded. Bright and shining as his pub
| lie record has been, his home record is yet
more beautiful. Never father loved his
children more deyotedly than he. No man
was ever more wrapped up than he in the
wife OF his bosom-his comforter in the
| tolls and vicissitudes Of his earlier life, the
misfoTtures Of maturer years, and the
sharer OF his prosperity and donors. lie
was always as tendery attentive TO her rs
| mother to her babe. lie was proud OF her
for her many virtues, and as the vein OF
| his heart he hallows her memory. Pure as
an angel she lived, happy as saint she
died. and in the spirit land awaits retinion
| with the PRIDE and love OF her soul. y.