John Edward "Parson" Massey (April 2, 1819 – April 24, 1901) was a Baptist preacher and politician in Albemarle County, Virginia who served in both houses of the Virginia General Assembly after the American Civil War before becoming Virginia's 15th Lieutenant Governor (January 1, 1886, until January 1, 1890). ving as an adult, Massey founded the short-lived Readjuster Party and is sometimes considered Democrat.Bynum, William & Dictionary of Virginia Biography. John E. Massey (1819–1901). (December 7, 2020). In Encyclopedia Virginia. https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/massey-john-e-1819-1901.
Early life and education Born in Spotsylvania County, Virginia to devout Baptists Benjamin Massey and his wife, the former Elizabeth Chewning, he received an education suitable for his class. Like his elder brother Joseph, he attended the Virginia Baptist Seminary (now the University of Richmond).Bynum
Prewar career Massey taught school in addition to his preaching duties. By 1860 he lived near Scottsville in Albemarle County, Virginia.Bynum He owned slaves in the 1860 federal census.
Postwar career After the war, he continued his career as a Baptist preacher in Albemarle County. Massey considered himself the founder of the short-lived Readjusters.Moger, Allen (1968). Virginia: Bourbonism to Byrd, 1870-1925. University Press of Virginia. pp. OCLC 435376.
He first won election to the Virginia House of Delegates when Albemarle County voters refused to re-elect J.A. Early, J.C. Hill and G.B. Stephens, but instead elected Massey, Richard G. Crank and B.H. Magruder, then re-elected Massey once before he successfully ran for the Virginia Senate, although he served only two years.Cynthia Miller Leonard, The Virginia General Assembly 1619-1978 (Richmond, Virginia State Library 1978) pp. 517, 521, 528
Massey allied with the "Big Four" Readjusters who revolted to buck Confederate-general-turned-Republican-boss William Mahone. The "Big Four" were Andrew M. Lybrook of Patrick County, Peyton G. Hale of Grayson County, Samuel H. Newberry of Bland County, and Benjamin F. Williams of Nottoway County.Clevie H. Wingate, Memories of Grayson (Grayson County Historical Society, 1992), p. 299 (poster explaining article published March 21, 1930)https://encyclopediavirginia.org/7597hpr-63e230aefd1140f/ Massey was elected Virginia's Lieutenant Governor in 1885, succeeding fellow Readjuster John F. Lewis, and presided over the Virginia Senate in the 1886 and 1889 sessions, before being J. Hoge Tyler assumed those offices.Leonard pp. 547, 551
Death and legacy Upon Massey's death, he was buried in Charlottesville's Oakhill cemetery. His autobiography appeared posthumously in 1909, edited by Elizabeth H. Hancock.Autobiography of John E. Massey Library of Congress Internet Archive
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