ONLINE EXHIBIT
George C. Peery
1873 - 1952
George Campbell Peery was born on October 28.
1873 at Cedar Bluff in Tazewell County. He attended public schools
and graduated from Emory and Henry College. For two years, Peery
was principal of Tazewell High School. In 1897, he graduated
from the Law Department of Washington and Lee University and
was immediately admitted to the bar. He began practicing law
in Tazewell County.
Peery was a delegate to the
Democratic National Convention in both 1920 and 1924. During
World War I, he served as the local food administrator for Tazewell
County. From 1923-1929, he was elected to the 68th, 69th, and
70th Congresses. In 1934, George C. Peery was elected Governor
of Virginia. During his term, he put trial justices in every
county, established unemployment insurance, created the Alcholic
Beverage Control Board when prohibition was repealed, and rpesided
over the opening of the first six Virginia State Parks.
