Shelton Leake

Shelton Farrar Leake (November 30, 1812 – March 4, 1884) was a 19th-century American politician, lawyer and teacher from Virginia. He served as Virginia's first lieutenant governor from 1852 to 1856. He also served two non-consecutive terms in the United States House of Representatives.

Biography Born near Hillsboro, Albemarle County, Virginia to Dr. Samuel Leake and Sophia Farrar, Leake completed preparatory studies, taught school, studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1835, commencing practice in Charlottesville, Virginia.

He was a member of the Virginia House of Delegates in 1842 and 1843.

Congress He was elected a Democrat to the United States House of Representatives in 1844, serving from 1845 to 1847. Leake was a presidential elector in 1849. Afterward, Leake resumed practicing law and in 1851 was elected the first Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, serving from 1852 to 1856. He was elected back to the House of Representatives as an Independent Democrat in 1858, serving again from 1859 to 1861.

Later career and death Leake again resumed practicing law until his death in Charlottesville, Virginia on March 4, 1884. He was interred in Charlottesville in Maplewood Cemetery.

Electoral history

1845; Leake was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives with 52.55% of the vote, defeating an Independent identified only as Irving. 1859; Leake was re-elected with 59.17% of the vote, defeating Democrat Paulus Powell.