Major M. Hillard

Major M. Hillard
Member of the Virginia Senate from the 3rd district
In office January 13, 1932 – April 21, 1954
Preceded by	Lloyd E. Warren
Succeeded by	Gordon F. Marsh
Member of the Virginia House of Delegates for Norfolk and South Norfolk
In office January 11, 1928 – January 13, 1932
Preceded by	Quinton C. Davis, Jr.
Succeeded by	Edward T. Humphries
Personal details
Born	Major McKinley Hillard (1896-10-23)October 23, 1896 Morgan, Tennessee, U.S.]
Died	June 24, 1977(1977-06-24) (aged 80) Chesapeake, Virginia, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Mary Frances Cherry
Alma mater	College of William & Mary University of Richmond
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Army
Battles/wars	World War I

Major McKinley Hillard (October 23, 1896 – June 24, 1977) was a Virginia politician and judge from Chesapeake, Virginia.

Early life and career

Hillard was born in Morgan County, Tennessee on October 23, 1896. His family moved to the Deep Creek borough of Norfolk County, Virginia (now the city of Chesapeake) in 1907.

Hillard served in the U.S. Army in World War I, after which he attended the College of William and Mary and the T.C. Williams Law School at the University of Richmond. He practiced law in Portsmouth, Virginia beginning in 1926. He married Mary Frances "Merle" Cherry (1895-1989) in about 1921. They had a son and a daughter.

Political career

Hillard and was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates as a Democrat in 1927, representing Norfolk County and the City of South Norfolk and he was reelected in 1929. In 1931, he was elected to the Virginia Senate representing the 3rd District which he held until he resigned in 1954 upon being appointed Circuit Court Clerk for Norfolk County.

Career on the bench

Hillard was appointed a Circuit Court judge in 1961. He used his political savvy and was instrumental in the merger of Norfolk County with South Norfolk to form the city of Chesapeake in 1963.

He retired from the bench in 1971, but continued serving the community in a variety of ways, such as at Deep Creek Baptist Church and the Deep Creek Ruritan Club.

Death and memorials

The Major Hillard library is a public library in the City of Chesapeake that was named in Hillard's honor. Hillard died in June 1977 in Chesapeake, Virginia.

External links

• Major M. Hillard at The Virginia Elections and State Elected Officials Database Project, 1776-2007
• Major M. Hillard at Find a Grave