List of speakers of the Virginia House of Delegates

Last updated

Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates
Seal of Virginia.svg
Great Seal of the Commonwealth of Virginia
Virginia Delegate Don Scott (cropped).jpg
Incumbent
Don Scott
since January 10, 2024
Virginia House of Delegates
Style The Honorable
Residence Virginia General Assembly
AppointerElected by the Virginia House of Delegates
Inaugural holder Edmund Pendleton

This is a complete list of the speakers of the Virginia House of Delegates . Elected by the members of the House, the Speaker is the presiding officer of that body. In addition to duties as chair, the adopted rules of the House of Delegates specify other powers and duties of the post. The Speaker is currently elected for a two-year term in the odd-numbered years in which the Legislature convenes.

Contents

List of speakers

Parties

   No party    Democratic    Republican    Democratic-Republican    Whig    Re-adjuster    Conservative

#NameCounty or cityTerm beganTerm endedParty
1 Edmund Pendleton 1872 crop.jpg Edmund Pendleton Caroline County 17761776None
2 WytheGeorge.jpg George Wythe Williamsburg 17771778None
3 Benharrv.JPG Benjamin Harrison V Charles City County 17781781None
4 Charles Willson Peale - Richard Henry Lee - NPG.74.5 - National Portrait Gallery (cropped).jpg Richard Henry Lee Westmoreland County 17811781None
3 Benharrv.JPG Benjamin Harrison V [1] Charles City County17811781None
5 John Tyler Sr.jpg John Tyler Sr. Charles City County17811785None
3 Benharrv.JPG Benjamin Harrison VCharles City County17851786None
6 Joseph Prentis.png Joseph Prentis Williamsburg17861788None
7 Genmathews.jpg Thomas Mathews Norfolk County 17881794None
8 John Wise (Virginia politician).png John Wise Accomack County 17941799None
9 Larkin Smith King and Queen County 17991802None
10 Edmund Harrison Amelia County 18021803None
11 Hugh Holmes Frederick County 18031805None
12 Peter Johnston, Jr., head-and-shoulders portrait, right profile LCCN2007676925.jpg Peter Johnston Jr. Prince Edward County 18051807None
13 Speaker Peter Johnston Jr.png Hugh Nelson Albemarle County 18071809 Democratic-Republican
14 Portrait of James Barbour, by Chester Harding.jpg James Barbour Orange County 18091812 Democratic-Republican
15 Speaker Andrew Stevenson.png Andrew Stevenson Albemarle County18121816 Democratic-Republican
16 Speaker Robert Stanard.png Robert Stanard Spotsylvania County 18161817None
17 Speaker Linn Banks.png Linn Banks Madison County 18171838 Democratic
18 Thomas W. Gilmer.jpg Thomas W. Gilmer Albemarle County18391840 Whig
19 Valentine W. Southall Albemarle County18401842None
20 Joel Holleman.jpg Joel Holleman Isle of Wight County 18421844Democratic
21 William O. Goode.jpg William O. Goode Mecklenburg County 18451846Democratic
22 JohnWinstonJones.jpg John W. Jones Chesterfield County 18471847Democratic
23 James F. Strother.jpg James F. Strother Rappahannock County 18471848Whig
24 Speaker Henry Laurens Hopkins.png Henry L. Hopkins Powhatan County 18481850Democratic
25 George Washington Hopkins.png George W. Hopkins Washington County 18501852None
26 Speaker Oscar Minor Crutchfield.png Oscar M. Crutchfield Spotsylvania County18521861None
27 James L Kemper.jpg James L. Kemper Madison County18611863Democratic
28 Hugh White Sheffey.png Hugh W. Sheffey Augusta County 18631865None
29 John Brown Baldwin by Anderson Studio, Richmond.png John B. Baldwin Augusta County18651869 Conservative
30 Speaker Zephaniah Turner Jr.png Zephaniah Turner Jr. Rappahannock County18691871Democratic
31 Delegate Hanger 1874.jpg J. Marshall Hanger Augusta County18711877Democratic
32 Speaker Henry Clay Allen.png Henry C. Allen Shenandoah County 18771879Democratic
33 Benjamin Lacy.jpg Benjamin W. Lacy New Kent County 18791881Democratic
34 Speaker Isaac Fowler.png Isaac C. Fowler Washington County18811882 Readjuster
35 Delegate Stuart 1886.jpg Charles E. Stuart Alexandria 18831887Democratic
36 Richard Cardwell square.jpg Richard H. Cardwell Hanover County 18871894Democratic
37 John F Ryan.jpg John F. Ryan Loudoun County 18941899Democratic
38 Edward W. Saunders.jpg Edward W. Saunders Franklin County 18991901Democratic
37 John F Ryan.jpg John F. Ryan Loudoun County19011906Democratic
39 William D Cardwell 1906.jpg William D. Cardwell Hanover County19061908Democratic
40 Richard E Byrd 1912.jpg Richard E. Byrd Winchester 19081914Democratic
41 Edwin P Cox 1914 square.jpg Edwin P. Cox Richmond19141916Democratic
42 Harry R Houston 1916 square.jpg Harry R. Houston Elizabeth City County 19161920Democratic
43 Richard L Brewer square.jpg Richard L. Brewer Jr. Suffolk 19201926Democratic
44 Thomas W Ozlin square.jpg Thomas W. Ozlin Lunenburg County 19261930Democratic
45 J Sinclair Brown 1916.jpg J. Sinclair Brown Roanoke County 19301936Democratic
46 Speaker Grover Ashton Dovell.png G. Aston Dovell Williamsburg19361942Democratic
47 Thomas Bahnson Stanley.jpg Thomas B. Stanley Henry County 19421946Democratic
48 Speaker George Alvin Massenburg.png G. Alvin Massenburg Hampton 19471950Democratic
49 Speaker Edgar Blackburn Moore.png E. Blackburn Moore Frederick County19501968Democratic
50 Speaker John Warren Cooke.png John Warren Cooke Mathews County 19681980Democratic
51 Delegate Philpott 1988.jpg Albert L. Philpott Henry County19801991Democratic
52 Delegate Moss 1988.jpg Tom Moss Norfolk 19912000Democratic
53 Delegate Wilkins 1988.jpg S. Vance Wilkins Jr. Amherst County 20002002 Republican
54 Speaker Bill Howell with GCC President David Sam and Germanna delegation (8506402049) (cropped).jpg William J. Howell Stafford County 20032018 Republican
55 Del. Kirk Cox at False Cape State Park (cropped).jpg Kirk Cox Colonial Heights 20182020 Republican
56 Eileen Filler-Corn (cropped).jpg Eileen Filler-Corn Fairfax County 20202022Democratic
57 Todd Gilbert 4-4-24 (cropped).jpg Todd Gilbert Shenandoah County 20222024Republican
58 Virginia Delegate Don Scott (cropped).jpg Don Scott Portsmouth 2024IncumbentDemocratic

Acting Speaker

According to Rules 2 and 16 of the House of Delegates, the chair of the Committee on Privileges and Elections serves as Acting Speaker when there is a vacancy in the Speaker's office. This has occurred twice since 1990:

List of speakers by time in office (incomplete)

RankNameTime in officeTEYear(s) in which elected
1 Linn Banks 20 years, 148 days111817; 1819; 1821; 1823; 1825; 1827; 1829; 1831; 1833; 1835; 1837
2 E. Blackburn Moore 17 years, 364 days91950; 1952; 1954; 1956; 1958; 1960; 1962; 1964; 1966
3 William J. Howell 15 years, 2 days82003; 2004; 2006; 2008; 2010; 2012; 2014; 2016
4 John Warren Cooke 11 years, 364 days61968; 1970; 1972; 1974; 1976; 1978
5 A. L. Philpott 11 years, 262 days61980; 1982; 1984; 1986; 1988; 1990
6 John F. Ryan 9 years, 315 days51894; 1895; 1897; 1901; 1904
7 Oscar M. Crutchfield 9 years, 123 days51852; 1853; 1855; 1857; 1859
8 Thomas W. Moss Jr. 8 years, 54 days51991; 1992; 1994; 1996; 1998
9 Richard H. Cardwell 6 years, 85 days41887; 1889; 1891; 1893
10
(tie)
Richard E. Byrd Sr. 6 years, 6 days31908; 1910; 1912
Ashton Dovell 31936; 1938; 1940
11 J. Sinclair Brown 6 years31930; 1932; 1934
12
(tie)
J. Marshall Hanger 5 years, 364 days31871; 1873; 1875
Richard L. Brewer Jr. 31920; 1922; 1924
13 Thomas B. Stanley 4 years, 295 days31942; 1944; 1946
14 Charles E. Stuart 4 years, 3 days21883; 1885
15 Harry R. Houston 4 years, 2 days21916; 1918
16 Thomas W. Ozlin 3 years, 360 days21926; 1928
17 John Brown Baldwin 3 years, 305 days11865
18 G. Alvin Massenburg 3 years, 5 days21947; 1948
19 Hugh W. Sheffey 2 years, 324 days21863; 1863
20 Vance Wilkins 2 years, 154 days22000; 2002
21 Zephaniah Turner Jr. 2 years, 62 days11869
22 Eileen Filler-Corn 2 years, 3 days12019
23
(tie)
Henry Clay Allen 1 year, 363 days11877
Isaac C. Fowler 11881
Edward W. Saunders 11899
William D. Cardwell 11906
Edwin P. Cox 11914
Kirk Cox 12018
Todd Gilbert 12021
24 James L. Kemper 1 year, 43 days11861
25 Donald L. Scott 1 year, 196 days12023
26 Benjamin W. Lacy 97 days11879

See also

References

  1. Holleman, Joseph H. Jr., ed. (1976). Speakers and Clerks of the Virginia House of Delegates, 1776–1976. Richmond, Virginia: Virginia House of Delegates. p. 15. hdl:2027/uva.x000818441.