John E. Massey

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John E. Massey, preacher, farmer and statesman, who for twenty-five years after the Civil War was one of the foremost men of the State.

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John E. Massey (1819–1901, aged 82) served as the lieutenant governor of Virginia (1886–1890), a member of the General Assembly (1873­–1879), and an influential member of two Virginia political parties. Born on April 2, 1819 in Spotsylvania County.

In 1854 he moved from Harrisonburg to Albemarle County and occupied “Ash Lawn,” the former residence of James Monroe. He served as a Baptist minister before the American Civil War (1861–1865), earning him the nickname Parson Massey. For the five years prior to his death, Massey spent most of his time at his "winter residence" on Park Street in the City of Charlottesville.

In 1889 the assembly voted him to the first of two terms as state superintendent of public instruction. During his tenure, he promoted summer teacher training institutes but endorsed a proposal that would limit already meager appropriations for African American schools. He selected the Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute (later Hampton University) as the site for a state-supported summer normal institutes for teacher education. He remained active in the Baptist Church throughout his life, supported the temperance movement.

On the 24th of April, 1901, this special was sent from Charlottesville:

"Hon. John E. Massey died at 6.15 this afternoon. About a week ago he spoke in the rain at Bruner's Store, five miles south of Charlottesville; and a deep cold resulted. This, in turn, developed into grip, which in a younger man would have amounted to very little. On Monday, Mr. Massey's physician refused to allow him to attend the convention, which nominated him and Mr. Boaz as Democratic candidates for the Constitutional Convention, as his malady refused to yield to treatment..." [1]

Massey died at his residence on Park Street and was buried in Oakwood Cemetery next to his first wife, Margaret A. Massey (1829 - 1889, aged 59). John and Margaret were the parents of seven children.

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