Benjamin W. Lacy
Benjamin Watkins Lacy (January 27, 1839 – May 15, 1895) was an American politician and Virginia lawyer, Confederate officer and jurist. Early and family life. Lacy was born on the family plantation, Ellsworth, in New Kent County, Virginia, the son of lawyer and future delegate Richmond Terrell Lacy (1800–1877) and his wife the former Ellen Green Lane (1815–1875). The firstborn son received his early education from his mother, after which he attended Pike Powers Academy in Staunton and Brown and Tebbs Academy in Albemarle County. He had an elder sister Sally E. Lacy (1837–1896), as well as a  younger sister Ellen G. Lacy (1840 – 1896) and two younger brothers Richmond Terrell Lacy (1842 – 1903, who became a Commonwealth Attorney) and Thomas Hugo Lacy (1848 – 1928, who became an Episcopal priest). Completing his formal education at the University of Virginia, Lacy then read law under his father's guidance. On November 14, 1878, he married Sarah Rebecca Osborne 1858–1936), daughter of a Presbyterian minister. They had four children who survived their father. Confederate military service. Lacy enlisted in the Confederate States Army on April 19, 1861, a week after the bombardment of Fort Sumter. Initially a private, he rose  to captain his company in the 3rd Virginia Cavalry. He was wounded three times, severely in the skirmishes at Kelly's Ford in 1863 and Nance's Shop in his home county in 1864. Lacy remained in the Army of Northern Virginia until it surrendered at Appomattox Court House. Career. After the war, Lacy refreshed his studies, was admitted to the Virginia bar in 1866 and practiced law together with his father. In 1870, he was appointed to the county court of Charles City and New Kent Counties and remained there for three years until the General Assembly reorganized the  judiciary. Voters then elected Lacy to the Virginia House of Delegates to represent Charles and New Kent counties (part time). Although the area had been Republican and elected African Americans William H. Brisby and Robert G.W. Jones in the first postwar election (when each county had a delegate) and William H. Patterson in 1871 when the two were combined, Lacy ran and repeatedly won as a Democrat with Readjuster sympathies. He served from 1874 to 1880, although in 1877 he was seated only following a successful challenge to the apparent election of John M. Gregory. During his last term, fellow  delegates elected Lacy their 33rd Speaker (1879–1881). During that term, in 1880, fellow legislators elected Lacy a judge of the Eighth Circuit Court, to fill the seat vacated by Robert L. Montague, who had died in office. Lacy resigned his part time legislative position upon taking the trial court bench. J. Marshall Hanger, although of the opposing party, offered a resolution praising Lacy's faithfulness and integrity as Speaker. In 1882, the Virginia General Assembly elected four members to the Supreme Court of Appeals for twelve year terms effective January 1, 1883. Lacy, Thomas T. Fauntleroy, Drury A. Hinton and  Robert A. Richardson remained on the appellate bench together until five successors took office in January 1895.(thus the succession box above is arbitrary) Death and legacy. During the final months of his term, Lacy suffered a lingering illness, and died at the age of 56 his New Kent County home, Marl Springs, on May 15, 1895. He was survived by his wife and four children, as well as his siblings, and buried at St. Peter's Episcopal Church.