Linwood Holton (1923-2021) American Politician

Linwood Holton American Politician (1923-2021)

He served as the 61st. Governor of Virginia from January 17, 1970 until January 12, 1974. He was Virginia’s first Republican governor since 1869. He attended Washington and Lee University in 1941. After the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor he enlisted in the United States Navy in 1942.

After graduating college he received a commission and served on a submarine until the end of the war. He also served in the reserves for 20 years. In 1949 he graduated from Harvard Law School and became an attorney in Roanoke. He ran for governor in 1965 but was defeated. It was not until 1969 that he was elected governor with better than half of the votes in the gubernatorial election.

Some of the main points of his term were he increased employment of blacks and women in state government, in 1973 he created the Virginia Governor’s Schools Program, supported environmental efforts and provided state funds for community mental health centers for the first time.

Linwood also served as the United States Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs from February 28, 1974 until January 31, 1975. He was married in 1953 to Virginia “Jinks” Rogers and they had 4 children. He passed away at home in Kilmarnock, Virginia.