Governor of West Virginia Auctioning Off Three Virginia Properties

The Colonial-era plantations will hit the block June 28

The auction of three Colonial-era plantations belonging to the governor of West Virginia is right around the corner.

Gov. Jim Justice and his family are unloading the vast estates outside of Richmond in the neighboring state of Virginia at the end of this month, as they seek to downsize their company’s agricultural operations, the family said in a statement this week. The properties total 3,879 acres and were on the market at various times for a combined $40.2 million.

“Our family has owned these plantations for quite some time, and now with my dad’s duties as Governor of West Virginia, we have decided to auction these incredible properties so that a new owner can enjoy all that they have to offer,” said Jay Justice, the governor’s son who now leads James C. Justice Cos. and is overseeing the auction.

West Virginia elected Jim Justice, a longtime Republican who flipped to the Democratic Party in 2014 and the state’s only billionaire, in November. His business endeavors, including coal, soybeans and corn, have amassed a fortune worth some $1.59 billion, Forbes estimates.

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