Edward Watts Saunders (October 20, 1860 – December 16, 1921) was a Virginia lawyer,

politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking ...

and judge, who served as Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates,

U.S. Representative 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 chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...

and justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia.

Biography

Saunders was born in

Franklin County, Virginia Franklin County is located in the Blue Ridge foothills of the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 54,477. Its county seat is Rocky Mount. Franklin County is part of the Roanoke Metropolitan Statistical Area ...

. His primary education was received from tutors at home and at Bellevue Academy in Bedford County. From the Academy, he entered the

University of Virginia The University of Virginia (UVA) is a public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the university is ranked among the top academic institutions in the United States, with highly selective ad ...

. After graduation, he joined Professor F.P. Brent in conducting a classical school at Onancock, in Accomack County. Returning to the University in the fall of 1881, he became a member of the law class taught by Professor John B. Minor and received his Bachelor of Law degree in 1882. That same year, he opened an office in

Rocky Mount, Virginia Rocky Mount is a town in and the county seat of Franklin County, Virginia, United States. The town is part of the Roanoke Metropolitan Statistical Area, and had a population of 4,903 as of the 2020 census. It is located in the Roanoke Region of ...

. In 1887, he was elected to the

Virginia House of Delegates The Virginia House of Delegates is one of the two parts of the Virginia General Assembly, the other being the Senate of Virginia. It has 100 members elected for terms of two years; unlike most states, these elections take place during odd-number ...

and served there for seven terms, including two years (1899–1901) as

Speaker Speaker may refer to: Society and politics * Speaker (politics), the presiding officer in a legislative assembly * Public speaker, one who gives a speech or lecture * A person producing speech: the producer of a given utterance, especially: ** I ...

. In 1901 he was elected Judge of the Fourth Judicial Circuit. When the circuits in Virginia were reorganized, as ordered by the Constitution of 1902, he became Judge of the Seventh Judicial Circuit. While serving in that capacity, he was elected to fill a vacancy in the United States Congress, where he remained for thirteen years. In 1920, he was elected to the Supreme Court of Appeals of Virginia. Judge Saunders served less than two years on this court before he died at his home in Rocky Mount, during the vacation of the court.

Electoral history

*1906; Saunders was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives with 50.88% of the vote in a special election, defeating Republican John W. Simmons; he concurrently was elected in the general election unopposed. *1908; Saunders was re-elected with 50.28% of the vote, defeating Republican John M. Parsons and Independent E. Matthews. *1910; Saunders was re-elected with 50.35% of the vote, defeating Republican Parsons, Independent John B. Anglin, and Socialist Bruce Anderson. *1912; Saunders was re-elected with 62.05% of the vote, defeating Republican A.B. Hamner and Independent J. Celphas Shelton. *1914; Saunders was re-elected with 65.47% of the vote, defeating Republican Charles A. Hermans, Independent William A. Fulton, and Socialist W.R. Keele. *1916; Saunders was re-elected unopposed. *1918; Saunders was re-elected unopposed.

References

External links

*
Edward W. Saunders
at ''The Virginia Elections and State Elected Officials Database Project, 1776-2007'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Saunders, Edward W. Justices of the Supreme Court of Virginia Speakers of the Virginia House of Delegates Democratic Party members of the Virginia House of Delegates Virginia lawyers Virginia state court judges 1860 births 1921 deaths People from Rocky Mount, Virginia Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Virginia 19th-century American lawyers 19th-century American politicians 20th-century American politicians 20th-century American judges