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Junius Edgar West
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Junius Edgar West
Junius Edgar West (July 12, 1866 – January 1, 1947) was a Virginia politician and businessman who was born in Sussex County, Virginia, on July 12, 1866, and whose long and distinguished career culminated in two terms as the 22nd Lieutenant Governor of Virginia.
West was the fifth son of Henry Thomas West and Susan Cox West. He was educated in public and private schools in Sussex County and matriculated in the college preparatory course at the Suffolk Collegiate Institute in Suffolk, Virginia. He attended college at the University of North Carolina and studied law at both Washington and Lee University and the University of Virginia.
Upon completion of his formal education he returned to Waverly, Virginia and became Superintendent of Sussex County Schools in 1889. As superintendent, West suggested innovations that would improve the system in Sussex; a nine-month school term, better qualified teachers with increased pay, better schoolhouses and furniture, and a reasonable compensation to trustees for their services.
While residing in Waverly, West formed an insurance business with a brother, John West. Two years later he decided to seek greater opportunities in the insurance field in Suffolk, Virginia, where he joined the firm of Col. L. P. Harper. West soon became the junior partner in the firm of Harper and West. Upon the death of Harper in 1906 the firm became West and Withers, with Mr. J. T. Withers as junior partner.
On January 17, 1903, West married Margaret Olive Beale, a daughter of Rev. and Mrs. Edwin W. Beale of Suffolk. Soon after their marriage they purchased the residence then located at the east corner of West Washington Street and St. James Avenue where they lived for the remainder of his life. The Wests had one child, a daughter, Margaret Beale, who was born in 1909.
West devoted much of his life to public service. He became active in local politics and was elected to Suffolk City Council and served as president of that body in 1896. Claude A. Swanson, who served as Governor of Virginia from 1906 to 1910, named West to his staff and bestowed upon him the title of colonel by which he was known for the remainder of his life.
In 1910 West was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates and in 1912 to the Virginia State Senate, where he served for ten years. West became a leader in the Democratic Party at the state level. During his career West served on the Democratic State Central Committee and its executive committee as well as on several local Democratic executive committees. He was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1896 and in 1936.
In 1922 and again in 1926 West was elected Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, serving during the terms of Governors E. Lee Trinkle and Harry Flood Byrd. During West's first term in office, Governor Trinkle appointed West's brother, Judge Jesse F. West of Sussex County, to a seat on the Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals. At his second inaugural ceremony in 1926, Judge West administered the oath of office to his brother, Junius West.
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Junius Edgar West
Junius Edgar West (July 12, 1866 – January 1, 1947) was a Virginia politician and businessman who was born in Sussex County, Virginia, on July 12, 1866, and whose long and distinguished career culminated in two terms as the 22nd Lieutenant Governor of Virginia.
West was the fifth son of Henry Thomas West and Susan Cox West. He was educated in public and private schools in Sussex County and matriculated in the college preparatory course at the Suffolk Collegiate Institute in Suffolk, Virginia. He attended college at the University of North Carolina and studied law at both Washington and Lee University and the University of Virginia.
Upon completion of his formal education he returned to Waverly, Virginia and became Superintendent of Sussex County Schools in 1889. As superintendent, West suggested innovations that would improve the system in Sussex; a nine-month school term, better qualified teachers with increased pay, better schoolhouses and furniture, and a reasonable compensation to trustees for their services.
While residing in Waverly, West formed an insurance business with a brother, John West. Two years later he decided to seek greater opportunities in the insurance field in Suffolk, Virginia, where he joined the firm of Col. L. P. Harper. West soon became the junior partner in the firm of Harper and West. Upon the death of Harper in 1906 the firm became West and Withers, with Mr. J. T. Withers as junior partner.
On January 17, 1903, West married Margaret Olive Beale, a daughter of Rev. and Mrs. Edwin W. Beale of Suffolk. Soon after their marriage they purchased the residence then located at the east corner of West Washington Street and St. James Avenue where they lived for the remainder of his life. The Wests had one child, a daughter, Margaret Beale, who was born in 1909.
West devoted much of his life to public service. He became active in local politics and was elected to Suffolk City Council and served as president of that body in 1896. Claude A. Swanson, who served as Governor of Virginia from 1906 to 1910, named West to his staff and bestowed upon him the title of colonel by which he was known for the remainder of his life.
In 1910 West was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates and in 1912 to the Virginia State Senate, where he served for ten years. West became a leader in the Democratic Party at the state level. During his career West served on the Democratic State Central Committee and its executive committee as well as on several local Democratic executive committees. He was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1896 and in 1936.
In 1922 and again in 1926 West was elected Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, serving during the terms of Governors E. Lee Trinkle and Harry Flood Byrd. During West's first term in office, Governor Trinkle appointed West's brother, Judge Jesse F. West of Sussex County, to a seat on the Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals. At his second inaugural ceremony in 1926, Judge West administered the oath of office to his brother, Junius West.
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