Representative Robert Goode Southall

Robert Goode Southall (December 26, 1852 – May 25, 1924) was an American politician, lawyer, and jurist who served as a Democratic Representative from Virginia in the United States Congress from 1903 to 1907. Over the course of two terms in the House of Representatives, he participated in the legislative process during a significant period in American history and represented the interests of his Virginia constituents.

Southall was born at Amelia Court House, Amelia County, Virginia, on December 26, 1852. He was educated locally, attending the Washington Academy and the High School of Amelia County. His early exposure to public affairs began at a young age, reflecting both his family’s ties to the region and his own interest in law and government.

After completing his preliminary education, Southall pursued formal legal training. He entered the law department of the University of Virginia at Charlottesville and graduated in 1876. The following year, in 1877, he was admitted to the bar and commenced the practice of law at Amelia Court House. Even before beginning his legal practice, he had gained administrative experience as deputy clerk of Nottoway County, serving in that capacity in 1873 and 1874. His early legal and clerical work laid the foundation for a long career in public service.

Southall’s professional life was closely intertwined with local and state government in Virginia. He served as prosecuting attorney for Amelia County from 1884 to 1902, a tenure of nearly two decades that established him as a prominent legal figure in the region. In addition to his prosecutorial duties, he became active in Democratic Party politics. He was chosen as a delegate to the Democratic National Conventions in 1888 and 1896, participating in the party’s national deliberations during a period of significant political and economic debate in the United States. At the state level, he served as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates from 1899 to 1904, representing his locality in the state legislature and gaining legislative experience that would later inform his service in Congress.

In 1902, Southall was elected as a Democrat to the United States House of Representatives, winning a decisive victory with 90.16 percent of the vote over Independent candidate R. T. Vaughan and Republican Thomas A. Jones. He took his seat in the Fifty-eighth Congress on March 4, 1903. He was re-elected in 1904 to the Fifty-ninth Congress with 82.85 percent of the vote, defeating Republican Charles Alexander, and served until March 3, 1907. During these two terms, Southall contributed to the legislative process as a member of the House of Representatives, participating in the democratic governance of the nation and advocating for the interests of his Virginia district at a time marked by industrial expansion, social change, and evolving federal policy.

After leaving Congress in 1907, Southall returned to Amelia County and resumed the practice of law. His legal reputation and long public service led to his appointment as a judge of the fourth judicial circuit court of Virginia. He assumed this judicial office in January 1912 and continued to serve on the bench until his death, presiding over a wide range of civil and criminal matters and contributing to the administration of justice in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Robert Goode Southall died in Baltimore, Maryland, on May 25, 1924, at the age of 71. His remains were returned to his native community, and he was interred in Amelia Cemetery at Amelia Court House, Virginia. His career, spanning local administration, county prosecution, state legislation, national representation, and judicial service, reflected a lifelong engagement with the law and public affairs in Virginia and the United States.