title: 108th Virginia General Assembly
text: # 108th Virginia General Assembly
  
  The 108th Virginia General Assembly was the meeting of the legislative branch of the Virginia state government from 1914 to 1916, after the 1913 state elections. It convened in Richmond for two sessions.
  
  ## Party summary
  
      Resignations and new members are discussed in the "Changes in membership" section, below.
  
  ### Senate
  
  | | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Total | Vacant |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Democratic | Independent | Republican | Total | Vacant |
  | End of previous session | 33 | 0 | 5 | 39 | 1 |
  | Begin | 35 | 0 | 5 | 40 | 0 |
  | April 8, 1914 | 34 | 0 | 5 | 39 | 1 |
  | April 13, 1914 | 33 | 0 | 5 | 38 | 2 |
  | June 25, 1914 | 32 | 0 | 5 | 37 | 3 |
  | December 19, 1914 | 31 | 0 | 5 | 36 | 4 |
  | January 13, 1915 | 34 | 0 | 5 | 39 | 1 |
  | January 23, 1915 | 35 | 0 | 5 | 40 | 0 |
  | Latest voting share | 88% | 13% | 13% | | |
  | Beginning of next session | 35 | 1 | 4 | 40 | 0 |
  
  ## Senate
  
  ### Leadership
  
  | Office | Officer |
  | - | - |
  | President of the Senate | J. Taylor Ellyson (D) |
  | President pro tempore | Edward Echols (D) until December 19, 1914 |
  | President pro tempore | C. Harding Walker (D) from January 13, 1915 |
  | Majority Floor Leader | Saxon W. Holt (D) |
  | Minority Floor Leader | Edmund Parr (R) |
  
  ### Members
  
  | District | Senator | Party | Constituency | Began serving |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | 1st | Benjamin F. Buchanan | Democratic | Washington, Smyth, and city of Bristol | 1914 (previously served 1893-1897) |
  | 2nd | John H. Catron | Republican | Scott, Lee, and Wise | 1912 |
  | 3rd | J. Powell Royall | Republican | Buchanan, Dickenson, Russell, and Tazewell | 1912 |
  | 4th | John M. Hart | Democratic | Roanoke, Montgomery, and cities of Roanoke and Radford | 1908 |
  | 5th | Alexander G. Crockett | Democratic | Giles, Bland, Pulaski, and Wythe | 1912 |
  | 6th | Edmund Parr | Republican | Carroll, Grayson, and Patrick | 1912 (previously served 1895-1899) |
  | 7th | William A. Rinehart | Democratic | Craig, Botetourt, Allegheny, Bath, and city of Clifton Forge | 1912 |
  | 8th | John Paul, Jr. | Republican | Rockingham | 1912 |
  | 9th | Edward Echols | Democratic | Augusta, Highland, and city of Staunton | 1906 (previously served 1889-1897) |
  | 10th | Frank S. Tavenner | Democratic | Shenandoah, Frederick, and city of Winchester | 1912 (previously served 1904-1908) |
  | 11th | G. Latham Fletcher | Democratic | Fauquier and Loudoun | 1908 |
  | 12th | R. S. Blackburn Smith | Democratic | Clarke, Page, and Warren | 1912 |
  | 13th | Richard C. L. Moncure | Democratic | Spotsylvania, Stafford, Louisa, and city of Fredericksburg | 1912 |
  | 14th | R. Ewell Thornton | Democratic | Alexandria county, Prince William, Fairfax, and city of Alexandria | 1908 |
  | 15th | Clyde T. Bowers | Democratic | Culpeper, Madison, Rappahannock, and Orange | 1912 |
  | 16th | John B. Watkins | Democratic | Goochland, Powhatan, and Chesterfield | 1908 |
  | 17th | Nathaniel B. Early | Democratic | Albemarle, Greene, and city of Charlottesville | 1908 |
  | 18th | Sands Gayle | Democratic | Appomattox, Buckingham, Fluvanna, and Charlotte | 1910 |
  | 19th | Bland Massie | Democratic | Amherst and Nelson | 1912 (previously served 1897-1906) |
  | 20th | Howell C. Featherston | Democratic | Campbell and city of Lynchburg | 1912 |
  | 21st | Henry A. Edmondson | Democratic | Halifax | 1908 |
  | 22nd | William T. Paxton | Democratic | Bedford, Rockbridge, and city of Buena Vista | 1914 |
  | 23rd | William A. Garrett | Democratic | Pittsylvania, Henry, and city of Danville | 1901 |
  | 24th | George T. Rison | Democratic | Pittsylvania and city of Danville | 1904 |
  | 25th | William D. Blanks | Democratic | Mecklenburg and Brunswick | 1912 |
  | 26th | Valentine M. Sowder | Republican | Franklin and Floyd | 1912 |
  | 27th | Alexander R. Hobbs | Democratic | Greensville, Sussex, Surry, and Prince George | 1901 |
  | 28th | Robert K. Brock | Democratic | Nottoway, Amelia, Lunenburg, Prince Edward, and Cumberland | 1912 |
  | 29th | Patrick H. Drewry | Democratic | Dinwiddie and city of Petersburg | 1912 |
  | 30th | Junius E. West | Democratic | Isle of Wight, Southampton, and Nansemond | 1912 |
  | 31st | John A. Lesner | Democratic | Norfolk city | 1908 |
  | 32nd | Charles U. Gravatt | Democratic | Caroline, Hanover, and King William | 1908 |
  | 33rd | Samuel T. Montague | Democratic | Norfolk county and city of Portsmouth | 1912 |
  | 34th | C. Harding Walker | Democratic | King George, Richmond, Westmoreland, Lancaster, and Northumberland | 1899 |
  | 35th | Louis O. Wendenburg | Democratic | Henrico, New Kent, Charles City, James City, and city of Williamsburg | 1912 |
  | 36th | Saxon W. Holt | Democratic | Elizabeth City, York, Warwick, and city of Newport News | 1904 |
  | 37th | G. Walter Mapp | Democratic | Accomac, Northampton, and Princess Anne | 1912 |
  | 38th | James E. Cannon | Democratic | Richmond city | 1914 |
  | 38th | Arthur C. Harman | Democratic | Richmond city | 1904 |
  | 39th | John R. Saunders | Democratic | King and Queen, Middlesex, Essex, Gloucester, and Mathews | 1908 |
  
  ## Changes in membership
  
  ### Senate
  
  * April 8, 1914, John M. Hart (D-4th district) resigns to accept appointment as Collector of Internal Revenue for the Western District of Virginia. Replaced by William L. Andrews at start of extra session.
  * April 13, 1914, Richard C. L. Moncure (D-13th district) resigns to accept appointment as Collector of Internal Revenue for the Eastern District of Virginia. Replaced by C. O'Conor Goolrick at start of extra session.
  * June 25, 1914, Samuel T. Montague (D-33rd district) resigned to become postmaster of Portsmouth. Replaced by William C. Corbitt at start of extra session.
  * December 19, 1914, Edward Echols (D-9th district) dies. Replaced by William H. Landes at start of extra session.
  
  ## House of Delegates
  
  ### Leadership
  
  | Office | Officer |
  | - | - |
  | Speaker of the House | Edwin P. Cox (D) |
  | Majority Floor Leader | Martin Williams (D) |
  | Minority Floor Leader | (R) |
  