Peyton Randolph

Who was Peyton Randolph?

Peyton Randolph was a Democratic-Republican politician from Virginia. Following the death of Governor George William Smith, and 68 others, in the burning of the Richmond Theater on December 26, 1811, Randolph served as the Acting Governor of Virginia, from December 26, 1811 until January 3, 1812.

Peyton Randolph was the son of Edmund Jennings Randolph who had been a delegate to the Continental Congress from 1779 until 1782, Governor of Virginia from 1786 to 1788, and the first U.S. Attorney General from September 26, 1789 to January 26, 1794.

Peyton Randolph was an attorney in Richmond, Virginia. He was the official reporter for the Virginia Reports from 1821 until his death in 1828. Virginia Reports is the official case reporter for the Virginia Supreme Court.

Randolph County, West Virginia was formed in 1787 and named in Governor Randolph's honor.