George C. Peery

George C. Peery


52nd Governor of Virginia
In office January 18, 1934 – January 15, 1938
Preceded by	John G. Pollard
Succeeded by	James H. Price
Member of the Virginia State Corporation Commission
In office November 29, 1929 – April 17, 1933
Preceded by	Louis S. Epes
Succeeded by	Thomas W. Ozlin
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 9th district
In office March 4, 1923 – March 3, 1929
Preceded by	C. Bascom Slemp
Succeeded by	Joseph C. Shaffer
Personal details
Born	George Campbell Peery (1873-10-28)October 28, 1873 Cedar Bluff, Virginia, U.S.
Died	October 14, 1952(1952-10-14) (aged 78) Richlands, Virginia, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Nancy Bane Gillespie
Children	3
Education	Emory and Henry College
Profession	Politician
Religion	Methodist

George Campbell Peery (October 28, 1873 – October 14, 1952) was an American Democratic politician, and was the 52nd governor of Virginia from 1934 to 1938. He was the first governor to be selected, at least partially, by the soon to be very powerful "Byrd Organization", led by Senator Harry F. Byrd, Sr.

Biography

Peery was born in Cedar Bluff, in Tazewell County, Virginia, in the far southwest portion of the state. He graduated from Emory & Henry College in 1894. Peery went on to earn his Juris Doctorate degree from Washington & Lee University in 1897, after which he returned to Southwestern Virginia to practice law in Wise.

Peery was a member of Congress, representing the 9th Congressional district of Virginia from 1923 to 1929, and was a delegate to the Democratic Nation Convention in 1920 and 1924. Peery was a member of the State Corporation Commission from 1929 to 1933, then newly elected Senator Byrd approached him to run for governor in 1933. Peery accepted, and won the November election.

As governor, he created unemployment insurance and, after the repeal of prohibition, he created Virginia's Alcohol Beverage Control board. In 1936, Governor Peery signed into law the act that created Virginia State Parks.

After his retirement as governor, Peery joined the board of trustees of both Washington and Lee University and Hollins College.

Peery died in 1952, at the age of 78, two weeks short of his 79th birthday, in Richlands, Virginia. He was buried in Maplewood Cemetery in Tazewell, Virginia.

Electoral history

1933; Peery was elected Governor of Virginia with 73.74% of the vote, defeating Republican Fred W. McWane, Prohibitionist Andrew J. Dunning, Jr., Socialist George C. White, and Independents John Moffett Robinson and W. A. Rowe.

Date	Election	Candidate	Party	Votes	%
U.S. House of Representatives, Virginia's 9th district
Nov 7, 1922^[1]	General	George C. Peery	Democratic	32,163	52.39
		John H. Hassinger	Republican	29,227	47.61
		C. Bascom Slemp did not seek reelection; seat turned Democratic
Nov 4, 1924^[2]	General	George C. Peery (inc.)	Democratic	31,407	52.57
Nov 4, 1924^[2]	General	C. Henry Harman	Republican	28,341	47.43
Nov 2, 1926^[3]	General	George C. Peery (inc.)	Democratic	28,305	53.42
Nov 2, 1926^[3]	General	S. R. Hurley	Republican	24,684	46.58
Governor of Virginia
Nov 7, 1933^[4]	General	George C. Peery	Democratic	122,820	73.74
		Fred W. McWane	Republican	40,377	24.24
		Andrew J. Dunning, Jr.	Prohibition	1,112	0.67
		George C. White	Socialist	1,107	0.66
		John Moffett Robinson	Independent	877	0.53
		W. A. Rowe	Independent	274	0.16
		John G. Pollard unable to seek reelection; seat stayed Democratic

References

↑ "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 7, 1922" (PDF). Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives. Retrieved June 7, 2016.
↑ "Statistics of the Congressional and Presidential Election of November 4, 1924" (PDF). Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives. Retrieved June 7, 2016.
↑ "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 1926" (PDF). Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives. Retrieved June 7, 2016.
↑ "1933 Governor General Election". Virginia State Board of Elections. Retrieved June 6, 2016.

External links

George C. Peery at Find a Grave

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by C. Bascom Slemp	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 9th congressional district 1923–1929	Succeeded by Joseph C. Shaffer
Political offices
Preceded by John Garland Pollard	Governor of Virginia 1934–1938	Succeeded by James H. Price

Governors of Virginia

Colony of Virginia	Wingfield Ratcliffe Scrivener Smith Percy Gates De La Warr Dale Yeardley Argall Wyatt West Pott Harvey West Berkeley Bennett Digges Mathews Colepeper Howard of Effingham Andros Nicholson Nott Jenings Hunter Orkney (absentee) Spotswood Drysdale "King" Carter Gooch Albemarle (absentee) Gooch Lee Burwell (acting) Dinwiddie Loudoun Fauquier Amherst (absentee) Fauquier Botetourt W. Nelson Dunmore

Commonwealth of Virginia	Henry Jefferson Fleming T. Nelson B. Harrison Henry E. Randolph B. Randolph H. Lee Brooke Wood Monroe Page Cabell Tyler Sr. G. Smith Monroe G. Smith P. Randolph Barbour Nicholas Preston T. Randolph Pleasants Tyler Jr. Giles J. Floyd Tazewell Robertson Campbell Gilmer Patton Rutherfoord Gregory McDowell W. "EB" Smith J. B. Floyd Johnson Wise Letcher W. "EB" Smith Pierpont Wells Walker Kemper Holliday Cameron F. Lee McKinney O'Ferrall J. H. Tyler Montague Swanson Mann Stuart Davis Trinkle Byrd Pollard Peery Price Darden Tuck Battle Stanley Almond A. Harrison Godwin Holton Godwin Dalton Robb Baliles Wilder Allen Gilmore Warner Kaine McDonnell McAuliffe

Chairs of the National Governors Association

Authority control	WorldCat Identities VIAF: 8911561 LCCN: n87870729 US Congress: P000186

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