Lieutenant Chuck Robb Preceded by James C. Turk Spouse Edwina Panzer Preceded by Mills E. Godwin, Jr. Preceded by Kenneth I. Devore Party Republican Party | Governor Mills E. Godwin, Jr. Name John Dalton Succeeded by Chuck Robb Preceded by Henry Howell Role Virginia State Senator | |
 | ||
Died July 30, 1986, Richmond, Virginia, United States Education College of William & Mary, University of Virginia School of Law | ||
Service/branch United States Army | ||
The Marshall Coleman Way
John Nichols Dalton (July 11, 1931 – July 30, 1986) was an American politician who served as the 63rd governor of Virginia, from 1978 to 1982. Dalton won the office with 55.9% of the vote, defeating Democrat Henry E. Howell, Jr and Independent Alan R. Ogden. Dalton had previously served as Lieutenant Governor of Virginia.
Contents
Biography
Born in Emporia, Virginia, Dalton graduated from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, and the University of Virginia Law School. He served in both houses of the General Assembly (Virginia House of Delegates, 1966–1972, Senate of Virginia, 1973). Dalton was the 32nd Lieutenant Governor from 1974 to 1978. As governor, he pursued policies of limited government. He also settled the federal lawsuit on the desegregation of Virginia's institutions of higher education.
Dalton Intermediate School, in Radford, Virginia, is named after the former governor. Dalton Hall, a building at Radford University that houses dining facilities, and the university bookstore is named for Dalton.
Dalton was the adopted son of Theodore Roosevelt Dalton, his uncle, who was the Republican candidate for Governor in 1953 and 1957, and his son-in-law, Steve Baril, sought the 2005 Republican nomination for attorney general of Virginia. As a young man his next-door neighbor was Charlotte Giesen, first Republican woman elected to the House of Delegates. Dalton died at 55 of lung cancer. He is buried at Sunrise Burial Park in Radford.
His personal papers, including those from his time as governor, are held by the Special Collections Research Center at the College of William & Mary. His executive papers from his time as governor are held by the Library of Virginia.