George C. Peery

George Campbell Peery was a Virginia lawyer, school principal and Democratic politician, who served as the 52nd governor of Virginia from 1934 to 1938, after serving three terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, as well as on the State Corporation Commission. Sometimes called the second governor selected, by the soon to be very powerful Byrd Organization, led by former Virginia Governor and later multi-term Senator Harry F. Byrd, Sr. Peery was also the first Virginia governor from southwest Virginia, and noted his descent from early settlers of the Clinch Valley.