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Valentine Wood Southall
Member From: 1833 - 1846
- Birth Date: 1789-90 Birth Place:"Westham", Goochland County, Virginia
- Death Date: August 22, 1861
- Gender: Male Race: Caucasian
- Spouse: Mary Anne Garrett (1820) - died during childbirth; Martha Cocke (February 1, 1825)
- Children: daughter by Mary Anne Garrett
sons and daughters by Martha Cocke - Religion:
- Education: Ogilvies School
- Military Service:
- Occupation/Profession: lawyer, admitted to the bar in 1813 and described as one of the ablest lawyers of his time.
- Memberships/Affiliations: "Junior Volunteers", 1807
first Secretary of the Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. - Additional Info: Valentine W. Southall was the son of Stephen Southall, a major in the Revolutionary Army, and Martha Southall, daighter of Colonel Valentine and Lucy Henry Wood, sister of Patrick Henry.
When General Lafayette was entertained at dinner in the Rotunda at UVA on November 15, 1824, Mr. Southall presided.
Mr Southall was serving as president pro tempore of the Constitutional Conventionon the day the Ordinance of Secession was passed. Mr Southall voted against secession on April 4, 1861 but changed his vote on April 17.
Speaker of the House, 1840-1842 and 1844-1845
- Bio: Born at “Westham” Goochland County, Va., 1789 or 1790 Died in Charlottesville, Va., August 22, 1861 Buried in Charlottesville, Va. Valentine W. Southall of Albemarle County was the son of Stephen (a major in the Revolutionary Army) and Martha (Wood) South- all. She was a daughter of Colonel Valentine and Lucy Henry (sister of Patrick Henry) Wood of Goochland County. He was educated at Ogil- vies School, and was admitted to the Albemarle Bar in 1813. He was a member of “junior Volunteers” in 1807; House of Delegates, 1833-34, 1835-36, 1839-42, 1843-46; and the Constitutional Conventions of 1850-51 and 1861 He was one of the ablest lawyers of his day in the Commonwealth. He was the first Secretary of the Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. When General Lafayette was entertained at dinner in the Rotunda on November IS, 1824, it was Mr. Southall who presided. He was president pro tempore on the day the Ordinance of Secession was passed. Southall voted against secession on April 4, 1861, but changed his vote on April 17. Two or three months later, he died in the little brick office in the front yard of his residence. He married firstly, in 1820, Mary Anne Garrett (died after giving birth to a daughter), daughter of Alexander and Elizabeth (Minor) Garrett of Louisa County, and secondly, February I, 1825, Martha Cocke, daughter of James Powell and Lucy (Smith) Cocke of Albemarle County, by whom he had both sons and daughters.
While he was Speaker of the House, the Clerk was GEORGE WYTHE MUNFORD. - Other Notable Service and/or Elected Offices:
Virginia Constitutional Convention: 1850, 1861
delegate to the Constitutional Conventions of 1850-51 and 1861
| Session | District | District Number | Party | Leadership | Committees |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1833-1834 | Albemarle | Courts of Justice | |||
| 1835-1836 | Albemarle | Whig | Schools and Colleges | ||
| 1839 | Albemarle | Whig | Privileges and Elections (Chair) Banks Courts of Justice Schools and Colleges |
||
| 1839-1840 | Albemarle | Whig | Privileges and Elections (Chair) Courts of Justice |
||
| 1840-1841 | Albemarle | Whig | Speaker of the House | ||
| 1841-1842 | Albemarle | Whig | Speaker of the House | ||
| 1843-1844 | Albemarle | Public Libraries (Chair) Courts of Justice |
|||
| 1844-1845 | Albemarle | Speaker of the House | |||
| 1845-1846 | Albemarle | Schools and Colleges (Chair) |
*The information within this interactive and searchable application has been researched extensively by the House Clerk’s Office. As with any historical records of this age and breadth, there may be discrepancies and/or inconsistencies within records obtained from a variety of credible sources. Any feedback is encouraged at history@house.virginia.gov.