USA > Vermont > Orleans County > Biography of the bar of Orleans county, Vermont > Part 24
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ORLEANS COUNTY, VERMONT.
FREDERICK W. BALDWIN.
By HON. H. HENRY POWERS.
F REDERICK W. BALDWIN was born at Lowell, Vt., Sep- tember 29, 1848. He is of English descent. This branch of the Baldwin family is descendant from John Baldwin, who appears in Billerica, Mass., as early as 1655, and who came from Hertford- shire, England, about 1640. He married Mary Richardson, by whom he had nine children. He was made "freeman" in 1670, and died in 1687. His sixth child, Thomas, born in Billerica, March 26, 1672, and known as "Ensign Thomas," married and became the father of eight children, of whom Joseph, born in Billerica, Septem- ber 14, 1702, was the second. It appears that he secured, by his father's will, lands in Townsend, Mass. He married and settled there, and became the father of Joseph, Jr., his eldest son, born about 1729. Joseph, Jr., was blessed with a family of eight chil- dren. Thomas, his youngest child, was born at Townsend, Novem- ber 10, 1768. He married Elizabeth Davis of Chelmsford, Mass., and settled on a farm in Cavendish, Vt., where he reared a family of nine children. Asa, their fifth child, born at Cavendish, June 28, 1803, married Roselinda Shedd, December 3, 1833, and removed to the new town of Lowell in Orleans county. There he com- menced to hew a farm out of the wilderness. Privation and hard- ship were his constant companions. But the heart and hand of the sturdy pioneer were of unfailing strength, and waving fields of grain soon took the place of the unbroken forest. At the time of his death, which took place January 27, 1875, he was occupying the same farm where he first located, one of the best homes in the town. He was an energetic, substantial citizen, and held the office of cap- tain of the militia company of the section. He had two children, our subject being the youngest, and only son.
ยท Frederick was brought up on his father's farm, and enjoyed only such advantages for education as the average Vermont farmer gives his children. Being, however, of an observant and practical turn of mind, he acquired much solid and useful information which is not found in school books, but which is invaluable in the daily rou- tine of professional life.
He attended the district schools in his native town until he was seventeen years of age, and then for a few years attended, a term
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or two at a time, the grammar school at Westfield, the Normal school at Johnson, and the Vermont Conference Seminary at Mont- pelier, usually interrupting the continuity of his studies by teaching school in the winter. In 1870 he entered the law office of Powers & Gleed at Morrisville, and was admitted to the bar in December, 1872, and soon after formed a partnership with Gen. William W. Grout at Barton, which continued two years. Since the dissolution of the firm of Grout & Baldwin, Mr. Baldwin has been in the suc- cessful practice of his profession at Barton, and has had a large clientage in Orleans and Caledonia counties.
He brings to his professional work a strong practical mind, which enables him to forecast results better than many men who display more apparent haste and energy, but who can never see but one side to a case. Mr. Baldwin's professional aim is to reach the best result for his client. In many cases where others would advise a suit he advises a compromise, thus often saving defeat as well as large expense. By this course he has gained the confidence of liti- gants, who see in him a disposition to save them expense where others would recklessly incur it. But when engaged in a cause he gives to its preparation and trial the most thorough and efficient work. He has been connected with many very important trials in court, among which may be noted the case of Frederick W. Baldwin, assignee in insolvency vs. James Buswell, which involved the con- stitutionality of the insolvency law of Vermont, and which he ably argued before the full bench at the general term, and which is reported in the 52d Vermont Reports ; also the case of Selectmen of Glover vs. McGaffey, involving an important question in the law of water rights, reported in 55 Vt. 171. He was connected with a series of pauper causes between the towns of Barton and Glover.
In all this important litigation he was successful. He has been admitted to practice in both the state and federal courts in this state.
He has enjoyed a liberal measure of political preferment, though he is not exposed to the charge of political ambition. He was assistant secretary of the state senate in 1872, and secretary of the same in 1874, 1876 and 1878. Was state's attorney for Orleans county in 1880 and 1881, and was the Orleans county member of the Republican State Central Committee in 1884 and 1885, and at the last state convention was chosen for 1886 and 1887. When the
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and was page in the house of representatives during the session of 1860. During the war the call and clangor "to arms" so stirred his young blood that he enlisted as a soldier in 1863, and was mus- tered in as corporal in Co. L of the 11th Vermont Volunteers, and served until August, 1865. When he came home from the war his instincts and aspirations gravitated towards college life, and he fit- ted for college in the academies at Barton, Peacham, and under Mr. Gorham at Montpelier. He entered Dartmouth College in the class of 1867, and graduated with his class in the summer of 1871. He studied the profession of law in the office of Edwards & Dick- erman at Newport, and was admitted to the bar at the September term, 1873, of Orleans county court, and opened an office for prac- tice at Barton Landing. After about two years he removed to Rutland, where he continues to reside in the practice of his pro- fession. He was state's attorney for Rutland county from 1884 to 1886. His residence in Rutland necessarily threw him into new relations to the bar, and into practice with veterans who were among the leading lawyers of the state. This brought to his mind new suggestions and new incentives, and he resolved, so far as in him lay, to make himself a good lawyer, and not be content with the rough and tumble chances in the tilt of the profession. He knew in that profession that success or eminence was not attained by favor or chance, but, as a rule, is won, if at all, by industry and hard work. He purchased a well selected library, in which he studied the origin and sources of the common law of England, and especially the axioms and principles that equity practice had en- grafted upon it; and by careful study equipped himself for useful and successful practice.
A very brilliant scholar, a graduate of his Alma Mater, wrote in his classical text books the words, as a guiding motto, " Attius ibunt qui summa ninunter," which in the vernacular would indicate that in climbing the hill they reach the highest who strive for the summit.
He learned that the true and best service of the advocate was by careful study to understand the case himself, and thus by a brief statement of the facts of the case, and the law involved in it, the court would see that he was master of it, and in a condition to aid the court or jury in solving the problems of the case to be tried, 'and as he became useful to the court, he was also to his client.
Shr Baldwin
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committee organized he was made its secretary and treasurer. He was married to Susan M. Grout, a sister of Gen. Grout, September 24, 1873, by whom he has one child, Edward Grout Baldwin. Mrs. Baldwin died in 1876, and October 28, 1878, Mr. Baldwin married Susan M. Hibbard of Brooklyn, N. Y.
L. H. NICHOLS.
By HON. H. C. WILSON.
T HE subject of this sketch was born in Westford, Vt., and when quite young his father and family moved to Underhill, Vt., where he attended the common school of the town, and after- wards fitted for college at the academy, expecting to enter the Uni- versity of Vermont as soon as he could earn means to defray his expenses there. With that end in view he commenced teaching, and proved an able and efficient teacher, having the very best of success. He followed school-teaching for three or four years, finally decided to fit himself for the law, and entered the law office of H. C. Wilson at North Troy in the fall of 1867, where he remained, teaching a portion of the time until the September term, A. D. 1872, when he was admitted to the Orleans County Bar. He was
a young man of good character and a close student, gentlemanly and courteous to all, and a very easy and fluent speaker. After his admission to the bar he left the county for the West, with a bright prospect before him. He first went to Clinton, Iowa, but remained there but a short time. From there hewent to San Francisco, Cal., and soon afterwards formed a copartnership with one of the leading lawyers of that city, and their firm ranks among the ablest and best, and it can in truth be said that Mr. Nichols has gained that success which inevitably follows continued application of honest effort to the accomplishment of an honest purpose.
PELEG REDFIELD KENDALL. By HON. TIMOTHY P. REDFIELD.
DELEG REDFIELD KENDALL was the son of Dr. Samuel S. and Sarah Abby Redfield Kendall, and was born at Coven- try, Vt., November 24, 1848. He was an apt and ready scholar. He made creditable progress in the common schools in education,
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P. Redfild Kendall
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ORLEANS COUNTY, VERMONT.
As state's attorney for the great county of Rutland, he was called upon to examine and try many cases of great importance, as well to the parties involved as to the public, and requiring discrimination and legal tact. In that he has been successful, and won the confi- dence of the court and of the public.
There is now open to him a broad field, somewhat sterile for legal plants-with the assured prospect, if he is laborious and avoids pol- itics-of attaining in his profession, in the end, success and dis- tinction.
JOHN WESLEY ERWIN.
T HE subject of this sketch was born in Sheldon, Franklin coun- ty, Vt., April 5, 1840, and is the son of Ralph and Jane (Riley) Erwin. Ralph, the father of our subject, immigrated from Ireland with his elder brother when but sixteen years of age, and settled in Sheldon. where he lived until 1847, when he moved to Highgate, and afterwards to Newport, where he died. Mr. Erwin was edu- cated at the common schools of his native town, and was attending the academy at St. Albans when the war of the rebellion broke out. He at once enlisted as a private in the Ist Vermont Cavalry, Co. B, and was mustered into service September, 1861. In 1862 he was made quartermaster-sergeant. In the sharp cavalry engagement at Hagerstown, Md., July 6, 1863, young Erwin had his horse shot from under him, and he was taken prisoner. He was taken to Belle Island, where he was kept five months, with the exception of about three weeks in the hospital at Richmond, after he had become so sick and weak he could not live longer in the prison. In Septem- ber, 1864, he was discharged and returned to his native state, but with health so impaired it was not until 1870 that he was able to accomplish anything, with the exception of looking after a farm he owned in Troy, Vt. In 1870 he entered the office of Josiah Grout at Newport for the study of the law, and was admitted to the bar of Orleans county at its September term, A. D. 1874, and com- menced the practice of his profession at Derby Center, where he has since resided.
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BIOGRAPHY OF THE BAR
NELSON RAND.
N ELSON RAND was born in Greensboro, Vt., March 7, 1824. His father, Ezekiel Rand from Rindge, and his mother, Mary Stone from Fitzwilliam, N. H., were married, and settled about the year 1800 in the very new settlement of Greensboro, Vt., where they were prospered, and raised a family of ten children.
Nelson's education was obtained at the school of his native dis- trict and Bakersfield Academy. In 1843, having concluded to become a lawyer, he entered the office of Jasper Rand, an older brother, at West Berkshire, where he remained three years, but unfortunately for him when he was nearly fitted for admission to the bar he became discontented, and hoping to secure a vocation that would pay greater profits financially, he went to Hardwick and entered a store, where he remained about two years. He then went to Craftsbury and entered the firm of Blaisdell, Delano & Co. He remained in trade there in this firm, the firm of Blasdell & Rand, and alone, until about 1870, and from 1852 to 1860 was postmaster at South Craftsbury, and during all this time was doing legal busi-
ness to some extent for the people of Craftsbury and vicinity. In 1870 this branch of his business had grown so, and there was such a demand for his services as a lawyer, that he opened an office and gave his time to this work, and at the September term, A. D. 1874, he was admitted a member of the bar of Orleans county, and has been in active practice at Craftsbury since. Although Mr. Rand came to the bar late in life, he was better fitted for his professional duties than many who started earlier. His large acquaintance with men and things while in business, coupled with his experience in legal matters, made him a good and reliable adviser and counselor. He has fine social qualities, and is esteemed by all who know him as a cordial, genial gentleman. In politics Mr. Rand has always been an ardent democrat, and has several times been the nominee of his party for important offices. He was married June 6, 1849, to Julia Ann Williams.
273
ORLEANS COUNTY, VERMONT.
WALLACE I. ROBINSON.
W ALLACE I. ROBINSON was born at Barton, Vt., January 12, 1850, and is the son of Amos C. and Eliza S. Robinson, the latter a daughter of Dr. F. W. Adams, an able physician of Barton, and afterwards of Montpelier, where he died.
His father owned and carried on what was known as the "depot store. He, with his sons, carried on a large and flourishing whole- sale and retail business, and had at the time of his death amassed a goodly competence for this section of the country. Jasper Rob- inson, the paternal grandfather of our subject, was a successful mer- chant at Brownington, Vt., and one of its prominent men. He represented Brownington in the general assembly in 1825-7-8, and was elected in 1831, but served in the council and was a judge of Orleans county court in 1828-29-31-32 and councillor until 1835.
At the common schools of his native town, Newbury Academy, Norwich University and Dartmouth College, Wallace I. obtained a thorough education, and in 1870 entered the office of J. B. Robin- son, Esq., of Barton, for the study of the law. He was admitted to the bar of Orleans county at the September term, 1874. About the time of his admission to the bar his former preceptor, J. B. Rob- inson, deceased, and his office, and business to some extent, were succeeded to by our subject. In the succeeding two years, Mr. Robinson obtained a large and thriving business for one just start- ing out in the profession.
March 16, 1876, young Robinson's father died, and he took his place in the old store and firm, the new firm being made up of his brother Charles A. Robinson and himself, under the firm name of Robinson Brothers. They did a large and successful business until 1878, when they sold out, since which time Mr. Robinson has been engaged as administrator in closing up several estates, and also as agent for the Hartford Life and Annuity Insurance Company of Hartford, Conn. He was married July 26, 1876, to Lucy M. Reed, and has one son, Amos Reed Robinson.
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BIOGRAPHY OF THE BAR
HOMER E. POWELL.
H OMER E. POWELL was born at Richford, Vt., May 4, 1851. The first of the Powell patronymic who settled in Vermont was Rowland Powell, who came from Brimfield, Mass., and settled in Hartford, Vt., where he remained a few years and removed to Sheldon. Bradford Powell, son of Rowland, born in Brimfield in 1775, moved into Richford as early as 1799, his name appearing on the records as one of the first listers. He was an active citizen, and took a prominent part in the public affairs of the town, and was deputy collector of customs for a while. He married Clarissa Goff from Deerfield, Mass., in April, 1803, and settled and carried on a farm ; he died June 1I, 1820. Hermon Powell, father of our subject, was born at Richford, December 28, 1809, and who died at Fairfield, September 14, 1885, was a farmer, and lived at Richford and Fairfield the greater part of his life. January 1, 1838, he mar- ried Julia S. White, who was born in Sheldon, March 30, 1812, and who died at Richford, July 23, 1880.
Homer E. obtained at the common schools, "New Hampton Institution " at Fairfax, and Vermont Conference Seminary at Mont- pelier, a very good education. In 1870 he commenced the study of the law with his brother, Hon. E. Henry Powell at Richford, but soon accepted a position as principal of the Richford Graded School, where he remained one year. He then went West and engaged in teaching at Schuyler, Neb., a portion of the time also keeping up his law studies somewhat. ] In 1874 he returned to Vermont, and again entered the office of his brother, and at the April term, 1875, of the Franklin county court was admitted to the bar. The year following he was in partnership with E. Henry Powell in the prac- tice of his profession at Richford. In the spring of 1876 he moved to South Troy, where he remained until the fall of 1878, when he went to Milton, where he now resides in the active practice of the law. . For the short time that he was in the county of Orleans he succeeded well as an attorney. Mr. Powell was married April 21, 1880, to Lucia B. Witters of Milton, and has three children.
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ORLEANS COUNTY, VERMONT.
FRANK E. ALFRED.
F RANK E. ALFRED, the son of Samuel D. and Polly (Smith) Alfred, was born in Fairfax, Vt., February 25, 1853. Benja- min Alfred, the youngest son of John Alfred, and the grandfather of our subject, was born in Hartford, Conn., March 26, 1769. He married Elizabeth Chapin, January 25, 1795, and they settled in West Springfield, Mass., but in 1808 they moved to Westfield, where they afterward lived. Samuel Dwight Alfred, their son, was born in Westfield, June 14, 1804. In 1824 he settled in Lansing- burg, N. Y., but in 1831 he removed to Berkshire, Vt. On the 25th day of November, 1832, at Berkshire, he was married to Polly Smith, and in 1842 they removed to Fairfax, where they now reside. His occupation was that of a merchant.
Frank E. obtained his primary education at the school of his native district, and afterward attended the New Hampton Institu- tion at Fairfax, and but for sickness would have graduated there in June, 1873. In 1874 he commenced the study of the law with Edson & Rand at St. Albans. In September, 1874, he entered the law department of Harvard College, fnom which he graduated in June, 1876, and was admitted a member of the Suffolk county bar. He returned to Vermont, and at the September term of the Frank- lin county court was made a member of that bar. November I of that year he went to Newport and entered the office of W. D. Crane, and in one year from that time was admitted into partner- ship with him, forming the now leading and well known law firm of Crane & Alfred. August 22, 1878, Mr. Alfred was admitted a member of the Supreme Court of the state, and February 25, 1879, a member of the United States Circuit Court. November 7, 1877, Mr. Alfred was appointed by the governor of Massachusetts a com- missioner to act in Vermont for that state. Mr. Alfred, although comparatively a young man, is a careful, painstaking lawyer ; he understands the rules of practice thoroughly, and sees to it by constant work and watchfulness that the large number of causes of his firm are ready in season for trial. All pleadings and other papers are carefully drawn and filed on time. Much of the success of this firm is attributable to the thorough and prompt manner in which they care for the causes in their hands. This firm has one
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of the best selected law libraries for a working lawyer in northern Vermont. Mr. Alfred was married June 10, 1879, to Mary Loise Edes, of Newton, Mass.
CHARLES J. ROWELL.
T HE subject of this sketch was born at North Troy, Vt., July 16, 1848. He was the third son of Hon. A. J. Rowell. His early education was obtained in the district schools of his native town. Evincing at an early age an aptitude for learning, and always making the most of his time while at the primary schools, he early had the promise from his father of a collegiate course, but in this he was destined to be disappointed. His father returning from the army with impaired health was soon taken sick, and died December 24, 1864. Thus at the age of sixteen Charles found himself with his plans for life, to some extent, thwarted. Although his father was gone, he was still left his mother, a very estimable lady, who did all in her power to aid him to attend the academies at Derby, and Meriden, N. H. In September, 1872, he went to the law school at Albany, N. Y., and graduating there, was admitted to the bar of the supreme court of the state of New York. Upon returning to Vermont he was appointed deputy collector of customs at the port of Alburgh. In 1876 he resigned his office as collector, and com- menced the practice of law at the village of Barton Landing, and remained there in successful practice till February, 1879, when he left his native state to make a home in the far West. He located in Leadville, Col., where he became a partner of Judge A. L. Wes- ton, and the firm did a flourishing business for about two years, when he left his law practice to become the financial agent of Sen- ator A. W. Tabor in his absence. Upon Senator Tabor's return to Colorado, Mr. Rowell resumed his law practice, forming a partner- ship with Judge Rockwell of Denver.
GEORGE C. BENTLEY.
G EORGE C. BENTLEY was born in Cambridge, Vt., August 2, 1852, the son of Levi P. and Julia (Montague) Bentley.
He was the youngest son of five children. His mother having died when he was five years of age, the home was broken up to
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ORLEANS COUNTY, VERMONT.
some extent, and when he was twelve he went to live with his uncle, Elisha Bentley, making it his home there and at his Uncle Harry Montague's, both in Cambridge, until he was twenty-two years of age, with the exception of two years spent in Wisconsin.
He attended the district school winters and worked on the farm summers, also having the advantage of several terms schooling at the Cambridge Academy until he was about twenty, when he went to Oskosh, Wis., and took a course in the commercial college of Prof. W. W. Daggett. He then returned to Vermont, and began the study of the law with Judge L. H. Thompson at Irasburgh, and was admitted to the bar of Orleans county at the September term, A. D. 1876.
He spent the ensuing winter in study in the office of Gen. William W. Grout at Barton, and in the spring of 1877 he opened an office at Fairfax, Vt., where he practiced law abont two years. He then went to Michigan and opened an office, but practiced but a short time when he was offered and accepted the management of the lumber yards of the Sturgeon River Lumber Company at Hancock, Mich., where he still resides. He was married February 19, 1877, to Sarah J. Thompson, sister of Hon. L. H. Thompson of Irasburgh.
CHARLES O. BRIGHAM.
M AJ. CHARLES O. BRIGHAM, the son of Elijah and Mary (Loker) Brigham, is from Massachusetts stock. His paternal grandfather was Col. Ephraim Brigham of Marlboro, Mass. Charles O. was born in Fitchburg, Mass., December 1, 1838. His father having moved to Cambridgeport, he first attended school there, and subsequently at the public schools in Boston. In 1855 he entered the Stanstead, P. Q., Academy, (his brother-in-law then being principal of that institution), where he completed the course preparatory to entering college, and in the fall of 1858 he entered the university at Middletown, Conn. The outbreak of the rebellion interrupted his collegiate course, which was never renewed. In the spring of 1861 he enlisted, and on May 22, 1861, was mustered into the service as a private of Co. G, 4th Connecticut Infantry, to serve for three years or during the war, and he served continuously in the army of the Potomac until his discharge, September 25, 1865.
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BIOGRAPHY OF THE BAR
Soon after his muster he was appointed first sergeant, and October. 26, 1861, was made second lieutenant, and in March, 1862, was pro- moted to be first lieutenant of his company. The regiment was soon reorganized into the Ist Connecticut Artillery, and January 22, 1863, he was promoted to the captaincy of Co. D of this regi- ment, and was again promoted May 13, 1865, to be major of the Ist Battalion of said regiment. He was also breveted major for gallant and meritorious conduct before Petersburgh, Va., in the advance on Richmond. Of his military career it is but just to say that, undertaken not from choice, but under an exalted sense of the duty he owed an imperiled and loved country, every service required was freely given. He could always be depended upon implicitly, possessing that quality of courage which is the result of entire devotion to duty, even at the cost of complete self-sacrifice. Upon his return to New England he went to his father's home in New- tonville, Mass., and soon after engaged in the furniture business in Cambridgeport, Mass. While located here he was married Febru- ary 14, 1867, to Clara A. Spalding, daughter of Levi Spalding of Derby Line, to whom he had become attached in early school-days. In 1872 he entered the office of Roberts & Osgood of Boston for the study of the law, but his studies at this time were much inter- rupted until he removed to Vermont in 1874, where he at once renewed his law studies in the office of his former school and col- lege mate, John Young of Derby Line, and at the February term, 1877, was admitted a member of the bar of Orleans county, and immediately commenced the practice of his profession at Derby Line, where he has since resided. Mr. Brigham is regarded as a faithful and reliable attorney, and a conscientious and upright man.
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