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Higher Office(s) Served: Representative

JAMES LINDSAY ALMOND was born in Charlottesville, Virginia. While at the University of Virginia, he served as a private in the Students' Army Training Corps in 1917 and 1918. He also taught school in Locust Grove, Virginia and served as principal of Zoar High School. He went on to receive an LL.B from the University of Virginia in 1923, and served as Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney of Virginia from 1930 to 1933 and Judge of the Hustings Court of Roanoke City, Virginia, from 1933 to 1945. He went on to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives to fill a vacancy, and was reelected, serving from January, 1946 to April 1948, when he resigned after being elected Attorney General of Virginia-also to fill a vacancy. In August, 1957, he resigned as Attorney General to wage a successful campaign for governor. Integration was a major issue during his gubernatorial term, and the state legislature responded to court-ordered integration by repealing the compulsory school attendance law and providing tuition grants for attendance at private, nonsectarian schools. Also during his administration, legislation was enacted increasing workers' compensation and unemployment benefits, and teachers were granted increases in pay and retirement income. After leaving office, Almond served as an Interim Judge of the U.S. Court of Customs and Patent Appeals from 1962 to 1963 and as an Associate Judge of that same court from 1963 until 1973, when he retired to private life.

*(Exact office term starting and ending dates are not known)

Sources:

Sobel, Robert, and John Raimo, eds. Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789-1978, Vol. 4. Westport, CT: Meckler Books, 1978. 4 vols

The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography, Vol. I. New York: James T. White & Company.

Commonwealth of Virginia