Valentine Wood Southall

Valentine Wood Southall (1789-90 August 22, 1861) was a lawyer, admitted to the bar in 1813 and described as one of the ablest lawyers of his time.

Valentine W. Southall was the son of Stephen Southall, a major in the Revolutionary Army, and Martha Southall, daughter 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 Convention on 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

Memberships/Affiliations

"Junior Volunteers", 1807; first Secretary of the Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia.

Other Notable Service and/or Elected Offices

Virginia Constitutional Convention: 1850, 1861; delegate to the Constitutional Conventions of 1850-51 and 1861.

Bio

Born at “Westham” Goochland County, Va., 1789 or 1790 Died in Charlottesville, Va., August 22, 1861 Buried in the family section of Maplewood Cemetery Charlottesville, Va.

Valentine W. Southall of Albemarle County was the son of Stephen (a major in the Revolutionary Army) and Martha (Wood) Southall. She was a daughter of Colonel Valentine and Lucy Henry (sister of Patrick Henry) Wood of Goochland County. He was educated at Ogilvies 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 considered as 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.

While he was Speaker of the House, the Clerk was George Wythe Munford. Southall 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.

Family &death

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.