Lewis Preston Collins II
Encyclopedia
Lewis Preston "Pat" Collins (December 25, 1896 – September 20, 1952) served as lieutenant governor of Virginia
from 1946 to 1952. He was usually known as L. Preston Collins or Pat Collins.
, and graduated from Washington and Lee University
in 1920. He practiced law in Marion, Virginia
. He also owned and operated a department store there.
primary to select the candidate for lieutenant governor, but he and residents of Wise County
challenged the outcome. They charged that there had been widespread voting irregularities in mail ballots and that the number of votes cast in two districts exceeded the number of people registered to vote four times over. On investigation, it was discovered that, among other irregularities, twenty-five of the twenty-seven poll books in the contested districts had disappeared. A judge disallowed the results in Wise County and declared Collins the winner of the nomination.
Collins easily won the general election in November 1945 and was re-elected in 1949. During his second term as lieutenant governor, he suffered a heart attack while he was being introduced as the speaker at the dedication of an elementary school near Austinville
in Wythe County
, and died.
Lieutenant Governor of Virginia
The Lieutenant Governor is a constitutional officer of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Lieutenant Governor is elected every four years along with the Governor and Attorney General. The office is currently held by Republican William T. Bolling. The governor and lieutenant governor are elected...
from 1946 to 1952. He was usually known as L. Preston Collins or Pat Collins.
Early life
Collins was born in Lynchburg, VirginiaLynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 75,568 as of 2010. Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains along the banks of the James River, Lynchburg is known as the "City of Seven Hills" or "The Hill City." Lynchburg was the only major city in...
, and graduated from Washington and Lee University
Washington and Lee University
Washington and Lee University is a private liberal arts college in Lexington, Virginia, United States.The classical school from which Washington and Lee descended was established in 1749 as Augusta Academy, about north of its present location. In 1776 it was renamed Liberty Hall in a burst of...
in 1920. He practiced law in Marion, Virginia
Marion, Virginia
Marion is a town in Smyth County, Virginia, United States. The population was 5,968 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Smyth County. The town is named for American Revolutionary War officer Francis Marion.-Tourism:...
. He also owned and operated a department store there.
Politics
In 1945 Collins narrowly lost the Democratic PartyDemocratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
primary to select the candidate for lieutenant governor, but he and residents of Wise County
Wise County, Virginia
Wise County is a county located in the U.S. state of Virginia. In 1856, the county was formed from land taken from Lee, Scott, and Russell Counties. It was named after Henry A. Wise, who was the Governor of Virginia at the time. As of 2010, the population was 41,452, making it the largest...
challenged the outcome. They charged that there had been widespread voting irregularities in mail ballots and that the number of votes cast in two districts exceeded the number of people registered to vote four times over. On investigation, it was discovered that, among other irregularities, twenty-five of the twenty-seven poll books in the contested districts had disappeared. A judge disallowed the results in Wise County and declared Collins the winner of the nomination.
Collins easily won the general election in November 1945 and was re-elected in 1949. During his second term as lieutenant governor, he suffered a heart attack while he was being introduced as the speaker at the dedication of an elementary school near Austinville
Austinville, Virginia
Austinville is an unincorporated community that spans both Carroll County and Wythe County, Virginia, United States. New River Trail State Park runs through Austinville. Shot Tower Historical State Park is located nearby. The town is the birthplace of Stephen F. Austin, for whose family it is...
in Wythe County
Wythe County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 27,599 people, 11,511 households, and 8,103 families residing in the county. The population density was 60 people per square mile . There were 12,744 housing units at an average density of 28 per square mile...
, and died.
Source
- John T. Kneebone et al., eds., Dictionary of Virginia BiographyDictionary of Virginia BiographyThe Dictionary of Virginia Biography is a multivolume biographical reference work published by the Library of Virginia covering all aspects of Virginia's history and culture since 1607....
(Richmond: The Library of Virginia, 1998- ), 3:379-381. ISBN 0-88490-206-4