Albertis Sydney Harrison, Jr., October 23, 1967-December 31, 1981

Harrison Albertis close up
Oil on canvas, 36 x 30 in., by Peter S. Stevens, 1972
Location: courtroom, rear

Born January 11, 1907 in Brunswick County, Virginia
Died January 23, 1995 in Lawrenceville, Virginia

Appointed by Governor Mills E. Godwin, Jr., on September 2, 1967 to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Vernon C. Spratley and began his service on October 23, 1967. Elected by the General Assembly on January 24, 1968 to complete the unexpired term of Spratley. Elected on March 11, 1970 to a regular 12-year term beginning February 1, 1971. Service terminated by retirement.

Education:
University of Virginia, LL.B., 1928

Professional career:
Private practice of law in Brunswick County, Virginia, 1928-1932, circa
Commonwealth’s attorney, Brunswick County, Virginia, 1932-1948
General counsel, Farmers & Merchants Bank, 1932-1948
Virginia state senator, 1948-1958
Attorney General of Virginia, 1958-1961
Governor of Virginia, 1962-1966
Chairman, Commission to Revise the Constitution, 1968

Military Service:
World War II (Navy)

Further reading/Research collections


 Sources:
Appointed, “Top Court Post in Virginia Goes to Harrison: Interim Appointment Brunswick Native,” The Washington Post, Times Herald (1959-1973) [Washington, D.C.], September 3, 1967: C1; qualified, 208 Va., iii; elected to complete the unexpired term of Spratley, Journal of the Senate of Virginia, 1968 Regular Session, 165; elected to a regular 12-year term, Journal of the Senate of Virginia, 1970 Session, 838; work as general counsel and LL.B. degree, Who’s Who in America, 1978-1979 (Chicago: A.N. Marquis, 1979), 1400; retired, 223 Va., iii; died, “Ex-Governor, Court Justice Harrison Dies,” Daily News-Record, January 24, 1995, 24; career, transcript of portrait presentation on October 12, 1984, published in 228 Va., xxxv-liv; Olivia Winslow, “Harrison Maintains Daily Work Pace,” Richmond Times-Dispatch, December 26, 1990, 1; Wolfgang Saxon, “Albertis S. Harrison, Jr., 88, Dies; Led Virginia as Segregation Fell,” The New York Times, January 25, 1995; and Virginius Dabney, “Albertis S. Harrison, Jr., Transition Governor,” in Edward Younger and James Tice Moore, eds., The Governors of Virginia, 1860-1978 (Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1982), 361-371; portrait, Library of Virginia catalog.