Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-11-13
lee TR|NKLE WILL BE ONE
OF YOUNGEST GOVERNORS
Next Chief Executive Goes
Into Office at the
Age of 46.
FIRST WHO HAS NAME "ELnERT
william smith. oldest Man mt Head
OF Virginia State Government, Lost
Life Trying to Save SON In Great
Thrnter Fire.
by Chnrl.s u. Carson.

pS NhbiASN ~ SuThbn.
For the first time in the history of
the Commonwealth or Virginia there
will he nm "Elhcrt" in the executive
mansion IT Richmond. and with the
election Of Ebert Leo Trinkle to take
his place with the distinguished limo
OF men who have held this position
before him. Virginia secures her for
ty-seventh Governor. acting and pro-
vislonnl Governors not included, since
the rule OF Britain was thrown off I'm
i77G.
Governor Elect Trinkle. entering
the executive mansion ut tho age OF
70, takes his place also as one OF the
youngest Governors of the Common
wealth. with only twcniy-one Gov
errors before him having entered
upon their term al younger age
than he. In addition 10 the above,
the election of MIR. Triukle makes the
second Governor that has been fur
nished this State by the little towa
OF Wytheville. the other being Henry
Carter Stuart. who was also porn I'm
this noted village.
Unique Facts Come to Surface.
In placing another Governor in
charge of the affairs or this Stnte.
many interesting and unique evcnts
connected with the lives oc these who
fa'" held the position before, como
to the surface to be gaEcd mt through
the eyes OF the curious and those who
delight In rumbling about through
old records and the half forgotten
writings OF worthier brains, who nave
preceded.
The shortest term of any executive
In the history of the State of vir-
Sinia was that IF Acting Governor
John Mercer Patton, OF Lexington.
Governor Patton VAS named To act
upon tile resignation OF Governor
Gilmer. and served for only thirteen
days, when his term expired. rho
next shortest was also of an acting
Governor, George William Smith. WIN
served for one month and one day.
Governor Smith lost his life in ,h,,
burning of tEeatcr in Richmond
ana. according to historians, died
whlle trying 10 save his yolDr son
who was In the theater." Looking
BACK over the records. we also find
>hat Governor Smith was also tho
oioSst Governor TO take Office, he he
ing 81 years Of age at the limo he
WIS named To take The reigns Of Gov
ernor. The third shortest term WINS
that OF Thomas Nelson Jr., who served
ior five months and twelve DAYS re-
signing on account of Ill health.
Many Were Military Men,
throughout the list of virginia
governors we find that n total nt
hIteen of them were ut one time or
AT another military men. -Four or
'hem were brigadicr-g generals. four
OF them were coloncls, one was n sur-
seoh In the army. two of them were
."P'"H'S' ana ono was private with
mentioned ~
The electorate OF the State of VIr-
gina evidently for hundreds OF years
mas mad leaning toward tho mama
OF John" We find that nine
Johns have become Governor or
TINS state, while the other names
most prominent have been seven
James" six Williams" four
Henry and four "Thomas." There
nave been one each OF Patrick.
Benjamin. Edmund. Beverley, Rob,
rrI George, Peyton. Wilson, Little
ton, "Nyndham. Francis, Gilbert,
ana Westmoreland. The Bible names
were prominent In David, Joseph.
Philip and Andrew.
In the family names 'Randolph"
has stood out prominently with four
To it's credit, three "Tylers," two
Lees" two Smiths" and Two
"Floyds."
The city OF williamsburg leads
the State in furnishing Governors.