109th Virginia General Assembly explained
The 109th Virginia General Assembly was the meeting of the legislative branch of the Virginia state government from 1916 to 1918, after the 1915 state elections. It convened in Richmond for one session, which started on January 12, 1916, and ended on March 18, 1916.[1] [2]
Background
The 1916 General Assembly took place during the latter half of Henry Carter Stuart's governorship. It was the last full session during which J. Taylor Ellyson served as lieutenant governor and president of the state senate; as of 2013, he is the only person in Virginia history to have served three terms in that office.
On November 1, 1916, seven months after the body adjourned, statewide prohibition went into effect. Senator G. Walter Mapp and temperance advocate James Cannon, Jr. (not to be confused with Senator James E. Cannon) drafted the final bill after voters endorsed a referendum in September 1914.
Party summary
Resignations and new members are discussed in the "Changes in membership" section, below.
Senate
| Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)
| Total | Vacant |
|---|
| | |
| Democratic | Independent | Republican |
|---|
| nowrap style="font-size:80%" | End of previous session | | 35 | 0 | 5 | 40 | 0 |
|---|
|
| Begin | | 35 | 1 | 4 | 40 | 0 |
|---|
| December 7, 1917 < | --Pilcher dies--> | | 34 | 39 | 1 |
|---|
| Latest voting share | | | | |
|---|
|
| Beginning of next session | | 35 | 1 | 4 | 40 | 0 | |
|---|
House of Delegates
Senate
Leadership
Members
| District | Senator | Party | Constituency | Began serving |
|---|
| 1st | | John P. Buchanan | Democratic | Washington, Smyth, and city of Bristol | 1916 |
| 2nd | | John M. Goodloe | Republican | Scott, Lee, and Wise | 1916 |
| 3rd | | J. Powell Royall | Republican | Buchanan, Dickenson, Russell, and Tazewell | 1912 |
| 4th | | William L. Andrews | Democratic | Roanoke, Montgomery, and cities of Roanoke and Radford | 1915 |
| 5th | | E. Lee Trinkle | Democratic | Giles, Bland, Pulaski, and Wythe | 1916 |
| 6th | | M. Price Webb | Republican | Carroll, Grayson, and Patrick | 1916 |
| 7th | | William A. Rinehart | Democratic | Craig, Botetourt, Allegheny, Bath, and city of Clifton Forge | 1912 |
| 8th | | George N. Conrad | Democratic | Rockingham | 1916 |
| 9th | | Cornelius T. Jordan | Independent | Augusta, Highland, and city of Staunton | 1916 |
| 10th | | Harry F. Byrd | Democratic | Shenandoah, Frederick, and city of Winchester | 1916 |
| 11th | | Theodore C. Pilcher | Democratic | Fauquier and Loudoun | 1916 |
| 12th | | Henry H. Downing | Democratic | Clarke, Page, and Warren | 1916 |
| 13th | | C. O'Conor Goolrick | Democratic | Spotsylvania, Stafford, Louisa, and city of Fredericksburg | 1915 |
| 14th | | R. Ewell Thornton | Democratic | Alexandria county, Prince William, Fairfax, and city of Alexandria | 1908 |
| 15th | | Clyde T. Bowers | Democratic | Culpeper, Madison, Rappahannock, and Orange | 1912 |
| 16th | | Thomas S. Hening | Democratic | Goochland, Powhatan, and Chesterfield | 1916 |
| 17th | | Nathaniel B. Early | Democratic | Albemarle, Greene, and city of Charlottesville | 1908 |
| 18th | | Sands Gayle | Democratic | Appomattox, Buckingham, Fluvanna, and Charlotte | 1910 |
| 19th | | Aubrey E. Strode | Democratic | Amherst and Nelson | 1916
(previously served 1906-1912) |
| 20th | | Walter E. Addison | Democratic | Campbell and city of Lynchburg | 1916 |
| 21st | | James T. Lacy | Democratic | Halifax | 1916 |
| 22nd | | A. Willis Robertson | Democratic | Bedford, Rockbridge, and city of Buena Vista | 1916 |
| 23rd | | William A. Garrett | Democratic | Pittsylvania, Henry, and city of Danville | 1901 |
| 24th | | George T. Rison | Democratic | Pittsylvania and city of Danville | 1904 |
| 25th | | William H. Jeffreys Jr. | Democratic | Mecklenburg and Brunswick | 1916 |
| 26th | | Beverly A. Davis | Republican | Franklin and Floyd | 1916 |
| 27th | | Sidney B. Barham Jr. | Democratic | Greensville, Sussex, Surry, and Prince George | 1916 |
| 28th | | George E. Allen | Democratic | Nottoway, Amelia, Lunenburg, Prince Edward, and Cumberland | 1916 |
| 29th | | Patrick H. Drewry | Democratic | Dinwiddie and city of Petersburg | 1912 |
| 30th | | Junius E. West | Democratic | Isle of Wight, Southampton, and Nansemond | 1912 |
| 31st | | Earl C. Mathews | Democratic | Norfolk city | 1916 |
| 32nd | | Charles U. Gravatt | Democratic | Caroline, Hanover, and King William | 1908 |
| 33rd | | William C. Corbitt | Democratic | Norfolk county and city of Portsmouth | 1915 |
| 34th | | C. Harding Walker | Democratic | King George, Richmond, Westmoreland, Lancaster, and Northumberland | 1899 |
| 35th | | Julien Gunn | Democratic | Henrico, New Kent, Charles City, James City, and city of Williamsburg | 1916 |
| 36th | | Saxon W. Holt | Democratic | Elizabeth City, York, Warwick, and city of Newport News | 1904 |
| 37th | | G. Walter Mapp | Democratic | Accomac, Northampton, and Princess Anne | 1912 |
| 38th | | James E. Cannon | Democratic | Richmond city | 1914 |
| | Louis O. Wendenburg | Democratic | 1912 |
| 39th | | John R. Saunders | Democratic | King and Queen, Middlesex, Essex, Gloucester, and Mathews | 1908 | |
House of Delegates
Leadership
Members
Changes in membership
Senate
- December 7, 1917, Theodore C. Pilcher (D-11th district) dies. Seat remains unfilled until start of next regular session.
See also
Notes and References
- Book: List of Members and Committees and Rules Senate and House of Delegates: Session 1916. May 3, 2013. 1916. Virginia State Library. Richmond.
- Book: Register of the General Assembly of Virginia, 1776–1918. Virginia House of Delegates October 10, 1814.. May 3, 2013. 1918. Virginia State Library. Richmond.
