John Goode (Virginia politician)

John Goode Jr. (May 27, 1829 – July 14, 1909) was a Virginia Democratic politician who served in the Confederate Congress during the American Civil War and then was a three-term postbellum United States Congressman. He was also the acting Solicitor General of the United States.

John Goode Jr.
John Goode Jr. portrait, between 1865 and 1880
3rd Solicitor General of the United States
In office May 1885 – August 1886
Appointed by	Grover Cleveland
Preceded by	Samuel F. Phillips
Succeeded by	George A. Jenks
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 2nd district
In office March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1881
Preceded by	James H. Platt, Jr.
Succeeded by	John F. Dezendorf
Chairman of the Committee on Education and Labor
In office March 4, 1877 – March 3, 1881
Preceded by	Gilbert C. Walker
Succeeded by	Jonathan T. Updegraff
Member of the Virginia House of Delegates from Norfolk County
In office 1867 Alongside J. C. Langhorne, A. F. Leonard and Thomas Butt
Member of the Confederate States House of Representatives from Virginia's 6th district
In office February 22, 1862 – March 18, 1865
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Position abolished
Member of the Virginia House of Delegates from Bedford County
In office 1852–1853 Alongside Samuel Davis
Personal details
Born	(1829-05-27)May 27, 1829 Bedford County, Virginia
Died	July 14, 1909(1909-07-14) (aged 80) Norfolk, Virginia
Resting place	Longwood Cemetery Bedford, Virginia
Political party	Democratic
Alma mater	Emory and Henry College Washington and Lee University School of Law
Occupation	Politician, lawyer
Military service
Allegiance	Confederate States of America
Branch/service	Confederate Army
Rank	Colonel
Unit	Jubal Early's Staff
Battles/wars	American Civil War

Early and family life

Goode was born in Bedford County, Virginia. He graduated from Emory & Henry College in 1848, studied law at Washington and Lee University School of Law and was admitted to the bar in 1851. That same year, he was elected a member of the Virginia House of Delegates, and in 1861 sat in the state convention that passed the Ordinance of Secession.

Civil War

With the impending dissolution of the United States in 1861, Goode was elected to the Virginia secession convention. With the affirmative vote and Virginia's subsequent secession, Goode was elected to both the First Confederate Congress and the Second Confederate Congress, serving from February 22, 1862, until the end of the war, and during the recesses of that body acted as volunteer aide on the staff of Maj. Gen. Jubal A. Early.

After the war, Goode resumed his law practice and again served in the state House of Delegates in 1866 and 1867. Like many high-ranking ex-Confederates, Goode had his civil rights restored under the provisions of Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment.

In 1867, Goode moved to Norfolk and practiced law in Washington, D.C. Shortly after he moved to Norfolk, he was again elected to the Virginia legislature.

Congress

He was chosen to the Forty-fourth United States Congress as a Democrat, defeating former Vermonter and incumbent James H. Platt Jr. Goode was re-elected to the Forty-fifth United States Congress and the Forty-sixth United States Congress, serving from December 6, 1875, until March 3, 1881. He was Chairman of the Committee on Education and Labor during his last two terms.

Goode was a member of the Democratic National Conventions of 1868 and 1872, and was a presidential elector in 1852, 1856, and 1884.

In May 1885, President Grover Cleveland appointed Goode as the acting Solicitor General of the United States, and he retained the office until August 1886. During his term of service, he visited British Columbia to represent the United States in an extradition case.

He later served on the United States and Chilean Claims Commission and was President of the Virginia Bar Association. He also was President of the Virginia Constitutional Convention of 1901 and 1902.

Goode died at the age of 80 in Norfolk and was buried in Longwood Cemetery in Bedford, Virginia.[1]

Electoral history

• 1874; Goode was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives defeating Republican James Henry Platt, Jr. and Independent Republican Robert Norton, winning 49.43% of the vote.
• 1876; Goode was re-elected defeating Republican Joseph Secar, winning 52.97% of the vote.
• 1878; Goode was re-elected defeating Republican John Frederick Dezendorf, winning 56.73% of the vote.

References

1. see http://files.usgwarchives.org/va/bedford/cemeteries/longwood.txt Archived 2011-05-28 at the Wayback Machine

•  This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress website http://bioguide.congress.gov.
•  This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Office of the Solicitor General.
• Political graveyard

• United States Congress. "John Goode (id: G000277)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved on 2009-04-21

Legal offices
Preceded by Samuel F. Phillips	Solicitor General of the United States 1885–1886	Succeeded by George A. Jenks
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by James H. Platt, Jr.	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 2nd congressional district 1875–1881	Succeeded by John F. Dezendorf
Political offices
Preceded by Gilbert C. Walker Virginia	Chairman of House Education and Labor Committee 1887–1881	Succeeded by Jonathan T. Updegraff Ohio