Andrew Jackson Montague (October 3, 1862January 24, 1937; nickname "Jack") was a
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
lawyer and
American politician
The politics of the United States function within a framework of a constitutional federal republic and presidential system, with three distinct branches that share powers. These are: the U.S. Congress which forms the legislative branch, a bic ...
. He served as the
44th Governor of Virginia, from 1902 to 1906, and a
Congressman
A Member of Congress (MOC) is a person who has been appointed or elected and inducted into an official body called a congress, typically to represent a particular constituency in a legislature. The term member of parliament (MP) is an equivalen ...
from 1912 until his death in 1937. A
Democrat
Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to:
Politics
*A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people.
*A member of a Democratic Party:
**Democratic Party (United States) (D)
**Democratic ...
, Montague is best remembered as the first Virginia governor since the American Civil War not to have served in the
Confederate
Confederacy or confederate may refer to:
States or communities
* Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities
* Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...
military. Initially a
Progressive, Governor Montague expanded the state capitol building, supported public education and the
Good Roads Movement
The Good Roads Movement occurred in the United States between the late 1870s and the 1920s. It was the rural dimension of the Progressive movement. A key player was the United States Post Office Department. Once a commitment was made for Rural Fre ...
and opposed the Martin Organization. However, later as U.S. Congressman, he became a
Conservative Democrat
In American politics, a conservative Democrat is a member of the Democratic Party with conservative political views, or with views that are conservative compared to the positions taken by other members of the Democratic Party. Traditionally, co ...
and supporter of the
Byrd Organization
The Byrd machine, or Byrd organization, was a political machine of the Democratic Party led by former Governor and U.S. Senator Harry F. Byrd (1887–1966) that dominated Virginia politics for much of the 20th century. From the 1890s until the l ...
.
Early life and education
![Andrew Jackson Montague state historical marker Danville Virginia](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/df/Andrew_Jackson_Montague_state_historical_marker_Danville_Virginia.JPG)
The son of prominent Confederate and later state judge
Robert Latane Montague
Robert Latané Montague (May 23, 1819 – March 2, 1880) was a prominent Virginia lawyer, politician and judge, before and after the American Civil War. He twice won election to the Virginia House of Delegates, and also served during the Vir ...
, Andrew Jackson Montague was born in 1862 in
Campbell County near
Lynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg is an independent city (United States), independent city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. First settled in 1757 by ferry owner John Lynch (1740–1820), John Lynch, the city's populati ...
.
He was named after his father's youngest brother, a cadet at the
Virginia Military Institute
la, Consilio et Animis (on seal)
, mottoeng = "In peace a glorious asset, In war a tower of strength""By courage and wisdom" (on seal)
, established =
, type = Public senior military college
, accreditation = SACS
, endowment = $696.8 mill ...
who died defending Richmond at the
Battle of Gaines Mill
The Battle of Gaines' Mill, sometimes known as the Battle of Chickahominy River, took place on June 27, 1862, in Hanover County, Virginia, as the third of the Seven Days Battles (Peninsula Campaign) of the American Civil War. Following the inconc ...
months before during the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
. After the war, his family returned to the
Tidewater area; since their enslaved workers had been freed and many left, Montague worked on the family farm and attended schools in
Middlesex County and
Williamsburg.
After his father died in 1880, Montague left the farm and went to
Richmond, Virginia
(Thus do we reach the stars)
, image_map =
, mapsize = 250 px
, map_caption = Location within Virginia
, pushpin_map = Virginia#USA
, pushpin_label = Richmond
, pushpin_m ...
. He attended Richmond College (predecessor to the
University of Richmond
The University of Richmond (UR or U of R) is a private liberal arts college in Richmond, Virginia. It is a primarily undergraduate, residential institution with approximately 4,350 undergraduate and graduate students in five schools: the School ...
), where he gained a reputation as a skilled orator and debater. After several years as a private tutor, Montague began legal studies at the
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia (UVA) is a Public university#United States, public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the university is ranked among the top academic institutions in the United S ...
, graduating with a law degree in 1885.
He later received an honorary doctorate of laws degree from
Brown University
Brown University is a private research university in Providence, Rhode Island. Brown is the seventh-oldest institution of higher education in the United States, founded in 1764 as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providenc ...
in 1905.
Career
After admission to the Virginia bar, Montague began his legal practice in
Danville, while becoming increasing involved with the local
Democratic party Democratic Party most often refers to:
*Democratic Party (United States)
Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to:
Active parties Africa
*Botswana Democratic Party
*Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea
*Gabonese Democratic Party
*Demo ...
. In the presidential election campaign of 1892, Montague developed a relationship with
Grover Cleveland
Stephen Grover Cleveland (March 18, 1837June 24, 1908) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 22nd and 24th president of the United States from 1885 to 1889 and from 1893 to 1897. Cleveland is the only president in American ...
, who then appointed Montague in 1893 as the
United States Attorney
United States attorneys are officials of the U.S. Department of Justice who serve as the chief federal law enforcement officers in each of the 94 U.S. federal judicial districts. Each U.S. attorney serves as the United States' chief federal c ...
for the Western District of Virginia.
Montague held that position five years, until, in 1898, he was elected as the
Attorney General of Virginia
The attorney general of Virginia is an elected constitutional position that holds an executive office in the government of Virginia. Attorneys general are elected for a four-year term in the year following a presidential election. There are no ter ...
.
Governor
While serving as attorney general, Montague became increasingly involved with the Virginia
Progressive movement
Progressivism holds that it is possible to improve human societies through political action. As a political movement, progressivism seeks to advance the human condition through social reform based on purported advancements in science, techno ...
, which emphasized education reform and
disfranchisement
Disfranchisement, also called disenfranchisement, or voter disqualification is the restriction of suffrage (the right to vote) of a person or group of people, or a practice that has the effect of preventing a person exercising the right to vote. D ...
of black voters as a way to stem political corruption.
[Larson (1982) pp. 160–163] Positioning himself as the independent alternative to Senator
Thomas S. Martin's
political machine
In the politics of Representative democracy, representative democracies, a political machine is a party organization that recruits its members by the use of tangible incentives (such as money or political jobs) and that is characterized by a hig ...
, Montague determined to make a run in the upcoming Virginia gubernatorial election. Running on the independent platform, Montague solidly defeated Martin's candidate,
Claude A. Swanson
Claude Augustus Swanson (March 31, 1862July 7, 1939) was an American lawyer and Democratic politician from Virginia. He served as U.S. Representative (1893-1906), Governor of Virginia (1906-1910), and U.S. Senator from Virginia (1910-1933), befor ...
, for the
Democratic nomination for Governor of Virginia.
Montague won 58.19% of the vote in the general election of 1901, easily defeating Republican
John Hampton Hoge
John is a common English name and surname:
* John (given name)
* John (surname)
John may also refer to:
New Testament
Works
* Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John
* First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John
* Second E ...
, as well as
Prohibitionist
Prohibitionism is a legal philosophy and political theory often used in lobbying which holds that citizens will abstain from actions if the actions are typed as unlawful (i.e. prohibited) and the prohibitions are enforced by law enforcement.C Canty ...
O.C. Rucker, and Socialists Hugh Motter and John J. Quantz. He became the first Virginia governor since the Civil War who had not served with the Confederate Army.
Shortly after Montague's inauguration, and with his support, the
Virginia Constitution
The Constitution of the Commonwealth of Virginia is the document that defines and limits the powers of the state government and the basic rights of the citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Like all other state constitutions, it is supreme ...
of 1902 was enacted without a referendum. Its
poll taxes
A poll tax, also known as head tax or capitation, is a tax levied as a fixed sum on every liable individual (typically every adult), without reference to income or resources.
Head taxes were important sources of revenue for many governments fr ...
and
literacy test
A literacy test assesses a person's literacy skills: their ability to read and write have been administered by various governments, particularly to immigrants. In the United States, between the 1850s and 1960s, literacy tests were administered t ...
s effectively disenfranchised black and poor white voters.
Ironically, the new Constitution created a smaller and more easily controlled electorate, thus strengthening the Martin machine.
As governor, Montague enunciated a progressive agenda, and he made speeches throughout the state calling for progress toward "good schools" and "good roads". His efforts on behalf of schools resulted in some tangible progress, particularly in terms of increased local funding, longer terms and school consolidation. For roads, he pressed for the creation of a state
highway
A highway is any public or private road or other public way on land. It is used for major roads, but also includes other public roads and public tracks. In some areas of the United States, it is used as an equivalent term to controlled-access ...
commission, which officially came into being two months after he left office. Montague also corresponded with progressives as varied as President
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt Jr. ( ; October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), often referred to as Teddy or by his initials, T. R., was an American politician, statesman, soldier, conservationist, naturalist, historian, and writer who served as the 26t ...
,
Clara Barton
Clarissa Harlowe Barton (December 25, 1821 – April 12, 1912) was an American nurse who founded the American Red Cross. She was a hospital nurse in the American Civil War, a teacher, and a patent clerk. Since nursing education was not then very ...
of the
American Red Cross
The American Red Cross (ARC), also known as the American National Red Cross, is a non-profit humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief, and disaster preparedness education in the United States. It is the desi ...
and
Booker T. Washington
Booker Taliaferro Washington (April 5, 1856November 14, 1915) was an American educator, author, orator, and adviser to several presidents of the United States. Between 1890 and 1915, Washington was the dominant leader in the African-American c ...
of the
Tuskegee Institute
Tuskegee University (Tuskegee or TU), formerly known as the Tuskegee Institute, is a private, historically black land-grant university in Tuskegee, Alabama. It was founded on Independence Day in 1881 by the state legislature.
The campus was de ...
. He championed the
primary
Primary or primaries may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Music Groups and labels
* Primary (band), from Australia
* Primary (musician), hip hop musician and record producer from South Korea
* Primary Music, Israeli record label
Works
* ...
process as a more open way to select political party candidates, which helped lead to the primary system being adopted for the first time in 1905. However, these accomplishments fell far short of Montague's legislative ambitions, for which he blamed a hostile legislature and the political machine run by his long-time foe, Senator Martin.
In 1905, while still governor, Montague determined to make a run for the
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and pow ...
against the incumbent Martin. Martin and Montague represented the two main factions within the Virginia Democratic party, and their contest would effectively determine which would control Virginia politics. Martin responded to the challenge by publicly embracing Montague's main issues: good schools, good roads and the primary election process. Having minimized the differences between their positions and with a larger political organization, Senator Martin handily won re-election, leaving an embittered Montague to finish out his term as governor.
Internationalist
After leaving office as governor, Montague served as the dean of
Richmond College Law School for three years, before returning to the private practice of law in 1909.
In July, 1906 Montague was among the American delegates at the
Conference of American States meeting in Rio de Janeiro. He later was a delegate to the Third International Conference on Maritime Law at Brussels in 1909 and 1910, as well as a trustee of
Carnegie Institute in Washington, D.C., and the
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (CEIP) is a nonpartisan international affairs think tank headquartered in Washington D.C. with operations in Europe, South and East Asia, and the Middle East as well as the United States. Founded in ...
. He would become president of the American Society for Judicial Settlement of International Disputes in 1917, and serve as president of the
American Peace Society
The American Peace Society is a pacifist group founded upon the initiative of William Ladd, in New York City, May 8, 1828. It was formed by the merging of many state and local societies, from New York, Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts, of ...
(1920-1924). Montague was an "outspoken Anglophile" who was among a group of six Virginia congressmen consisting of himself as well as
Patrick H. Drewry,
S. Otis Bland
Schuyler Otis Bland (May 4, 1872 – February 16, 1950) was a United States representative from Virginia. Born near Gloucester, Virginia, he attended the Gloucester Academy and the College of William and Mary. He was a teacher and a lawyer in p ...
,
Joseph T. Deal,
George C. Peery and
Henry St. George Tucker III
Henry St. George Tucker III (April 5, 1853 – July 23, 1932) was a representative from the Commonwealth of Virginia to the United States House of Representatives, professor of law, and president of the American Bar Association.
Early and fami ...
who spent much of the 1920s advocating closer relations between the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
and the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
.
Congressman
![A](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/13/A.J._Montague_LCCN2014714917.jpg)
In 1912, Montague ran for the Richmond District seat in the
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...
. He defeated the Republican incumbent, and would retain for almost a quarter of a century.
[Larson (1982) p. 167]
A supporter of President
Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856February 3, 1924) was an American politician and academic who served as the 28th president of the United States from 1913 to 1921. A member of the Democratic Party, Wilson served as the president of ...
's internationalist agenda, Montague lost influence when the Republicans took control of Congress in the 1920s. Despite this, and a failed bid to gain appointment to the
Supreme Court
A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...
, Montague was respected by his colleagues, even acquiring the nickname "Judge".
In 1926, he was selected by the House as one of the managers to prosecute the
impeachment
Impeachment is the process by which a legislative body or other legally constituted tribunal initiates charges against a public official for misconduct. It may be understood as a unique process involving both political and legal elements.
In ...
proceedings against Judge
George W. English
George Washington English (May 9, 1866 – July 19, 1941) was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Illinois. Charged with abuse of power and other offenses, English was impeached by the U ...
.
Personal life
He married Elizabeth Lyne Hoskins (1868 - 1951), daughter of a Middlesex county doctor, on December 11, 1889. They had two sons (one of whom died young, the other of whom served heroically in
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
and became Brig. Gen. Robert Latane Montague Jr. (1897-1972)), and two daughters (Matilda Gay Montague Moore (1891-1988) and Janet Roy Montague Nunnally (1895-1977)).
Mrs. Montague was very active in historic preservation in Alexandria, Virginia and in Williamsburg, and Gov. Montague corresponded with philanthropist
John D. Rockefeller Jr.
John Davison Rockefeller Jr. (January 29, 1874 – May 11, 1960) was an American financier and philanthropist, and the only son of Standard Oil co-founder John D. Rockefeller.
He was involved in the development of the vast office complex in M ...
who established
Colonial Williamsburg
Colonial Williamsburg is a living-history museum and private foundation presenting a part of the historic district in the city of Williamsburg, Virginia, United States. The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation has 7300 employees at this location and ...
. In 1934, the Montagues purchased
Sandwich
A sandwich is a food typically consisting of vegetables, sliced cheese or meat, placed on or between slices of bread, or more generally any dish wherein bread serves as a container or wrapper for another food type. The sandwich began as a po ...
at
Urbanna, Virginia
Urbanna is a town in Middlesex County, Virginia, United States. Urbanna means “City of Anne” and was named in honor of England's Queen Anne. The population was 476 at the 2010 census.
Geography
Urbanna is located at (37.637796, −76 ...
.
Death and legacy
Congressman Montague died in office on January 24, 1937, after winning a narrow election against his first significant (primary) opposition in twenty-five years.
[Larson (1982) pp. 167-168] He is interred in the family's section at the graveyard of
Christ Church in
Saluda, Virginia
Saluda is a census-designated place (CDP) in and the county seat of Middlesex County, Virginia, United States. The population as of the 2010 Census was 769.
The Middlesex County Courthouse was built between 1850 and 1874 by architects William R ...
.
Electoral history
*1912; Montague was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives with 97.58% of the vote, defeating Independent Chase A. Haight and Socialist Labor H. Adolph Muller.
*1914; Montague was re-elected with 95.81% of the vote, defeating Socialist S.C. Weatherly and Socialist Labor Muller.
*1916; Montague was re-elected unopposed.
*1918; Montague was re-elected unopposed.
*1920; Montague was re-elected with 72.5% of the vote, defeating Republican Walker G. Decourcy, ColR (?) H.H. Price, Independent Republican John L. Grubbs, and Socialist Muller.
*1922; Montague was re-elected with 90.14% of the vote, defeating Republican Channing M. Ward.
*1924; Montague was re-elected with 99.97% of the vote, defeating Republican C.B. Jones.
*1926; Montague was re-elected unopposed.
*1928; Montague was re-elected with 75.89% of the vote, defeating Republican J.D. Peake and Independents James E. Maynard and Henry W. Anderson.
*1930; Montague was re-elected with 87.4% of the vote, defeating Independent Republican R. Houston Brett.
*1932; Montague was re-elected as part of the Democratic slate for Virginia at-large Congressional district.
*1934; Montague was re-elected with 80.45% of the vote, defeating Republican Roy C. Parks, Socialist Hilliard Bernstein, and Communist William H. Friend.
*1936; Montague was re-elected with 84.49% of the vote, defeating Republican Charles G. Wilson and Socialist Winston Dawson.
See also
*
William E. Larsen, ''Montague of Virginia, The Making of a Southern Progressive'' (Louisiana State University Press, 1965)
References
External links
A Guide to the Executive Papers of Governor Andrew J. Montague, 1884–1907 (bulk 1902–1905)a
The Library of Virginia"There Ain't No Barbecue Like a Montague Barbecue"a
The UncommonWealth: Voices from the Library of Virginia
{{DEFAULTSORT:Montague, Andrew Jackson
1862 births
1937 deaths
Democratic Party governors of Virginia
Virginia Attorneys General
United States Attorneys for the Western District of Virginia
Virginia lawyers
Politicians from Richmond, Virginia
People from Campbell County, Virginia
University of Richmond alumni
University of Virginia School of Law alumni
Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Virginia
20th-century American politicians
19th-century American politicians
19th-century American lawyers
20th-century American lawyers
Lawyers from Richmond, Virginia
People from Urbanna, Virginia
People born in the Confederate States