USA > Vermont > Encyclopedia, Vermont biography; a series of authentic biographical sketches of the representative men of Vermont and sons of Vermont in other states. 1912 > Part 6
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PAINE, CHARLES. Governor. 1841-3. Born April 15, 1799; son of Judge Eli- jah Paine; died in Texas, July 6, 1853. Graduated from Harvard College. Took charge of his father's business affairs; was one of the leading projectors of the Vermont Central R. R., and its first presi- dent; interested foreign capital in it; rode
on the first train over its tracks, Oct. 11, 1848, to Northfield, where he had settled; built and conducted for years a large ho- tel at Depot Village; was Whig candidate for governor in 1835, when the Whig party began to emerge from the confusion of the anti-Masonic movement; was clect- ed governor in 1841, and again the fol- lowing year; was interested in agriculture, cattle breeding, and many important busi- ness enterprises ; and died while exploring a route through Texas for a railway to the Pacific.
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MATTOCKS, JOHN. Governor 1843-4. Born Hartford, Conn., March 4, 1777; son of Samuel Mattocks, a captain in the Revolutionary army; died Aug. 14, 1847. Married Esther Newell of Peacham. Came to Vermont when a year old with his father, who became a member of the Leg- islature, a judge, and succeeded Ira Allen as state treasurer; when 15 went to live with his sister at Middlebury, where he began the study of law, which he con- tinned later at Fairfield; was admitted to the Bar February, 1797; began practice at Danville, but soon removed to Peacham; in 1806 was one of the 13 directors of the Vermont State Bank; represented Peach- am in the General Assembly 1807, 1815, 1816, 1823, and 1824; was brigadier-gen- eral of the state militia 1812; representa- tive in Congress 1821-3, 1825-7, and 1841- 3; delegate to the constitutional conven- tion of 1836; candidate of the Whigs for governor in 1843, and elected by a vote of 24,465 to 21,982 for Judge Daniel Kellogg, the Democratic candidate; and declined a renomination the following year.
SLADE, WILLIAM. Governor 1841-6. Born Cornwall. 1786; son of Col. Wil- liam Slade, a Revolutionary veteran who was sheriff of Addison County for several years; died Jan. 18, 1859. He graduated from Middlebury College in 1807, studied law, and was admitted to the Bar in 1810. But his attention was soon absorbed in journalism and politics, and in historical and literary studies ; was a Madison presi- dential clector in 1812; in 1814-16 edited the Columbian Patriot, a political paper at Middlebury, where he also kept a book store; in 1816 was made secretary of state, and held the position for eight years; from 1817 to 1823 was also judge of Addison
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ENCYCLOPEDIA VERMONT BIOGRAPHY
[EATON
county court, and was afterwards states attorney; before the elose of the Monroe administration was appointed elerk in the state department in Washington, and served until 1829, when he had to "go" under Jackson; in 1830 was elected rep- resentative to Congress, serving continu- ously from 1831 to 1843; delivered a speech. Dee. 20, 1837, on a petition for. the abolition of the slave trade in the Dis- triet of Columbia. and though the speech was suppressed by a vote of the House, the pluek with which he presented the ease and the skill and coolness with which he prodded the slavocracy to desperation, were well worthy of admiration; his speech on the tariff bill of 1842 was also regarded as a strong one for the protectionist side of the argument, especially for its wool schedule, and it was widely published and circulated by the Whigs ; on his retirement from Congress in 1843 was appointed re- porter of the decisions of the Vermont supreme court, but held this position only one year, being elected governor of the state in 1844, and again in 1845. One of the interesting episodes of Vermont politics in those days was the "war of pamphlets" between him and Senator Phelps in 1845 and 1846, growing out of the charges made against the senator be- fore his re-election in 1844, that he had been inclined to kick out of the party traces and to refuse to vote for the tariff bill of 1842 and against the land distribu- tion bill, and that he had impaired his use- fulness by execssive intemperance, vio- lence of temper, and coarseness of lan- guage. Slade was at the time governor and claimed that Phelps had got him nomi- nated to silenee these accusations. He had been an aspirant for the senator's seat, as also had Hiland Hall, and these two with Ezra Meech and Charles Adams fathercd the reports. as Phelps claimed. The thing was fought out in the Whig convention and in the Legislature, which appointed a committee of investigation. Phelps won at both points, and then in the following winter published an "Appeal" to the pco- ple of Vermont in his vindication, review- ing the charges, producing letters from a large number of his colleagues and as- sociates to show the baselessness of the charges. Slade followed with a "reply," then Phelps with a "rejoinder" and Slade with another address "To the People of
Vermont," in which they handled each other severely and with a personal bitter- ness that would be irreparably damaging to the author in these days. Soon after retiring from the governorship, he became secretary of the national board of popular education, having for its object the fur- nishing of the West with teachers from the East, and held this position at the time of his death. He was the compiler of "Slade's State Papers."
EATON, HORACE. Governor 1846-8. Born Barnard, June 22, 1804; son of Dr. Eliphaz and Polly (Barnes) Eaton; died July 4, 1855. Removed with his parents to Enosburg when two years of age; at- tended the district schools until 15; pre- pared for college at St. Albans Academy ; and graduated from Middlebury College 1825, having taught school every winter to help pay his expenses. Taught at Mid- dlebury Academy for two years after graduation; then returned to Enosburg and studied medicine with his father, and also attended medical lectures at Castle- ton, where he received his diploma; con- tinued at Enosburg in the practice of his profession in company with his father until the latter's retirement, then alone, and still later in company with his brother, Dr. Rollin Eaton; was town clerk for a number of years, representative in the Leg- islature six different times, and once in the constitutional council; in 1837 he was elected state senator, and again in 1839, being re-elected three times; was nomi- nated by the Whigs for lieutenant-gover- nor in 1843, on the ticket with Governor Mattocks, and elected, and was re-elected on the ticket with Governor Slade for his two terms; in 1846 was the party nominee for governor, and was elected by a plural- ity of 5,763, the largest the Whigs had up to this time obtained, except in presi- dential years, and he was re-elected the next year ; on his retirement from the gov- ernor's chair he was called to Middlebury College to take the post of professor of natural history and chemistry, which he held for about six years until his death. Governor Eaton was twice married, first, Aug. 14, 1821, to Cordelia L. Fuller, who died Feb. 7, 1841; and December, 1841, to Miss Edna Palmer. There were two children, but only one, Mrs. R. D. Ross of Missouri, lived to reach maturity.
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FAIRBANKS]
COOLIDGE, CARLOS. Governor 1848- 50. Born Windsor, June 25, 1792; son of Nathan and Elizabeth (Curtis) Coo- lidge; died Windsor, Aug. 14, 1866. After graduation he commenced the study of law with Peter Starr of Middlebury, with whom he remained about two years, and then returning to Windsor completed his legal studies with Hon. Jonathan H. Hub- bard; was admitted to the Windsor Connty Bar at the September term, 1814, and established himself in practice in his na- tive town; in 1831 was elected states at- torney for the county of Windsor, and was successively re-elected for five terms; was a member of the first board of bank commissioners, appointed under a statute enacted in 1831; in 1834 was elected to represent Windsor in the Legislature, and re-elected during the two succeeding years, being speaker in 1836, and was also rep- resentative and speaker of the House in 1839, 1840, and 1841; in 1845 was presi- dential elector and assisted in giving the vote of Vermont to Henry Clay; was the candidate of the Whig party for governor in 1848, and, no election being made by the people, was chosen by the Legislature; in the same way was re-elected in 1849; was a senator from Windsor County for three years, 1853-5, and was frequently called upon to act as president pro tem- pore of the Senate and Joint Assembly. He married Harriet Bingham of Clare- mont, N. H., by whom he had one son, who died in early childhood, and one daughter, Mary, who married Rev. Frank- lin Butler. He received the honorary de- gree of A. M. from the University of Ver- mont in 1835, and that of LL. D. from his alma mater in 1849.
WILLIAMS, CHARLES KILBORN. Gov- ernor 1850-2. Born Cambridge, Mass., Jan. 24, 1782; son of the Rev. Samuel Williams, LL. D., and Jane Kilborn Wil- liams; died very suddenly at Rutland, March 9, 1853. He came to Vermont with his father in 1790; graduated at Williams College in 1800, and locating at Rutland, continued to reside there until his death; studied law with Cephas Smith of Rut- land, then clerk of the U. S. courts for the district of Vermont; was admitted to the Bar in March, 1803; was appointed a tutor in Williams College in 1802, and about the same time received a similar appointment from Middlebury College,
both of which he declined ; served one cam- paign on the north frontier in the war of 1812; represented Rutland in the Legis- lature 1809, 1811, 1814, 1815, 1820, 1821, and 1849; was states attorney of Rutland County in 1815; was elected judge of the supreme court of Vermont in 1822, 1823, and 1824, declining the last election; was appointed collector of customs for Ver- mont in 1825 and held the position until October, 1829, when he resigned, being again elected one of the judges of the Ver- mont supreme court; to this office he re- ceived seventeen successive annual elec- tions; retired from the bench in 1849, de- clining a re-election ; in 1850, and again in 1851, he was elected governor by a major- ity of the popular vote. In 1827 he was appointed one of the state commissioners for common schools, a board to select and recommend suitable textbooks and to have general supervision over educational af- fairs of the state; was a member of the corporation of Middlebury College from 1827 to 1843, and, at the time of his death, was president of the society of the alumni of Williams College. He received the degree of M. A. from Middlebury and Williams Colleges in 1803, and that of LL. D. from the former in 1834.
FAIRBANKS, ERASTUS. Governor 1852-3 and 1860-1. Born Brimfield, Mass., Oct. 28, 1792; son of Joseph Fair- banks, a farmer, carpenter, and mill own- er; died Nov. 20, 1864. Was educated in the common schools; taught school for two terms; came to Vermont about 1812, and began the study of law in the office of his uncle, Judge Ephraim Paddock of St. Johnsbury, but gave up the study ow- ing to some trouble with his eyes. Kept a general store for 11 years, first at Wheelock, then at East St. Johnsbury, and afterward at Barnet; returned to St. Johnsbury and entered into business with his next younger brother, Thaddeus Fair- banks, as manufacturers of stoves, plows. etc .; in 1829 the brothers added to their business the purchase and preparation of hemp for market; the rude and inaccurate mode of weighing their purchases led to the invention of the platform scale by them; the demand for the new scale com- pelled the brothers to relinquish other business interests; Thaddeus gave the strength of his inventive genius to the im- provement and mannfacture of the scale,
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ENCYCLOPEDIA VERMONT BIOGRAPHY
[ROBINSON
while Erastus with his genius for business, gave the coneern a wide and solid finan- eial success, though they had their full share of struggles and misfortunes; a fire and a freshet in 1828 compelled them to ask for a two years' extension from their ereditors, which was cordially granted. In 1836 Erastus Fairbanks was elected to represent the town in the state Legisla- ture, and was re-elected for the two suc- ceeding years ; in 1844, and again in 1848, he was chosen a presidential elector for the state; in 1848 he was appointed with Charles K. Williams and Lucius B. Peck to prepare a general railroad law, and also one relating to manufacturing corpo- rations, and their report still remains em- bodied in the statutes of the state. In 1850 he was active in the construction of the Passumpsic R. R., and was for years president of the company. He was also a leading and efficient member of the com- pany that constructed the Sault Ste. Marie canal. In 1852 he was elected governor by the Legislature, having fallen a few hundred short of a majority in the popu- lar vote, because of the candidaey of Brainerd and the Liberal party. In the closing days of the Legislature of that year the law for the prohibition of the sale of intoxicating liquors was passed, which, with some amendment, was the law of the state for half a century, until repealed by the Legislature of 1902; Governor Fair- banks signed it, and in consequence was defeated for re-election the next year. The figures and particulars of that interesting contest are given in the sketch of Gover- nor Robinson, his successful competitor. The Whigs desired to fight out the issue in 1854 with Governor Fairbanks again as a candidate. but he deelined a nomination because of his business engagements. In 1860. however, the Republican convention unanimously made him its candidate, and he was easily elected over John G. Saxe, the poet, Democratie candidate. His ad- ministration in 1861 secured for him a reputation as a "man with a brain and conscience." He called an extra session of the Legislature eight days after the assault on Sumter, and it placed $1,000,- 000 at his disposal without check on his discretion, for the arming and forwarding of troops, but at his earnest request a committee was appointed at the October session to andit his accounts. The first six regiments of the state, of the famous
"Vermont Brigade," and the first company of sharp-shooters were organized and mus- tered into the service under his adminis- tration. He deelined even to draw his salary and it still remains in the treas- ury. Prominent among his home chari- ties may be mentioned the founding of the St. Johnsbury Academy, with his brothers; and his endowments assist in maintaining the Athenæum, the Museum of Natural Science, and the North Church. From 1849 until his death he was presi- dent of the Vermont Domestie Missionary Society, and for many years was a cor- porate member of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. He was married May 30, 1815, to Lois Cross- man of Peacham. His married life con- tinued to within a few months of half a century.
ROBINSON, JOHN S. Governor 1853- 4. Born Bennington, Nov. 10, 1804; son of Nathan Robinson, and grandson of Gov. Moses Robinson; died Charleston, S. C., April 24, 1860, of apoplexy, while at- tending the Democratic national conven- tion as chairman of the Vermont delega- tion. Graduated from Williams College 1824; admitted to the Vermont Bar 1827. A man of brilliant parts, he rapidly rose to the front rank of his profession and was well qualified for a distinguished po- litical career, but the movement of the times had left his party in a hopeless minority in the state; twice represented Bennington in the lower House of the Legislature; was twice a state senator for Bennington County; was repeatedly the Democratie candidate for Congress in his district. There was a serious split in the organization growing out of the Free Soil movement of 1848, and continuing for sev- eral years until the Free Soilers merged into the Liberty, later the Republican, party. In 1851 he was the candidate of the minority element, or Free Soilers, for governor, receiving 6,686 votes to 14,950 for Timothy P. Redfield, the regular Dem- ocratie candidate, and 22,676 for Charles K. Williams, Whig. The next year the Democrats made him their regular candi- date; and with a temporary inerease of strength for the Liberty party, which east 9,446 votes for Lawrence Brainerd, there was a failure to elect by the people, Rob- inson having 14,938 votes and Erastus Fairbanks, Whig, 23,795, and the choice
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THE GOVERNORS
HALL]
was by the Legislature, which elected Fairbanks governor. The next year, 1853, the enactment of prohibition had given the Democrats renewed hope, and they made Robinson their candidate for governor again; and the result of the election was 20,849 for Fairbanks, 18,142 for Robin- son, and 8,291 for Brainerd, again throw- ing the choice to the Legislature, where Robinson was elected. But it was only a year's triumph. It was the period of political breakup over the slavery issue, and of the foundation of the new Repub- lican party. In July of the next summer, Brainerd presided over the first Repub- lican state convention, and that fall was sent to the United States Senate. The polls in September showed the dropping out of the Liberty party, and except some 1,600 scattering votes among various can- didates, the issue was between the two leading parties, and Stephen Royce was elected governor by a vote of 27,926, against 15,084 for Robinson. He was the only Democratic governor Vermont has had since the two terms of Gov. Ezra Butler, a period of 84 years. In 1847 he married Juliette Staniford, widow of Wil- liam Robinson, but left no children.
ROYCE, STEPHEN. Governor 1854-6. Born Tinmouth, Ang. 12, 1787; son of Stephen Royce, a soldier in the Revolu- tion, and Minerva (Marvin) Royce; died Nov. 11, 1868. Removed with his parents in 1791 to the present town of Franklin, and two years later to Berkshire. Gradu- ated from Middlebury College 1807. Taught a district school one term; studied law with his uncle, Ebenezer Marvin, Jr., with whom he was afterward in partner- ship for a few years; practiced in Berk- shire two years; in Sheldon six years, rep- resenting that town in the Legislature 1815 and 1816; states attorney for Frank- lin County 1816-8; removed to St. Albans 1817; represented St. Albans in the Leg- islature 1822, 1823, and 1824; delegate to the state constitutional convention 1823; elected a judge of the state supreme court 1825 and 1826; declined re-election, and resumed his law practice; in 1829 was again elected to the supreme court, serv- ing continuously until 1852, when he de- clined further re-election; was chief jus- tice of the court 1847-52; in 1854 was the Whig candidate for governor, and was elected by a large majority; re-elected
1855; retired to private life in 1856; was the last Whig governor of Vermont.
FLETCHER, RYLAND, Governor 1856- 8. Born Cavendish, Feb. 18, 1799; son of Dr. Asaph and Sally (Green) Fletcher; died Proctorsville, Dec. 19, 1885. Had only a common school education; worked on his father's farm through his young manhood, teaching district school in the winters; joined the militia company at Cavendish when 18, becoming successively lieutenant, captain, major, lieutenant-col- onel, colonel, and finally in 1835 brigadier- general; resigned in 1836 and went West, returning to Vermont a few months later ; became a leader in the anti-slavery move- ment; in 1854, at the time of the practical fusion of the Whigs and the Liberty men, he was nominated and elected lieutenant- governor on the ticket with Governor Royce, and re-elected in 1855; in 1856 was elected the first Republican governor. of the state by a majority of more than 23,000 over Henry Keyes, the Democratic candidate, and re-elected in 1857 by a slightly larger majority. During his ad- ministration, in 1857, the state capital at Montpelier, the second one to be erected on that site, was partially destroyed by fire, and plans were made for the con- struction of the present building. He rep- resented Cavendish in the Legislature 1861 and 1862; was a member of the constitu- tional convention of 1870, and strongly favored the policy of biennial elections ; was several times a presidential elector and a delegate to Republican national con- ventions. In 1829 he married Mary May of Westminster; his son, Col. Henry A. Fletcher, was lieutenant-governor of the state 1890-2.
HALL, HILAND. Governor 1858-60. Born Bennington, July 20, 1795; son of Deacon Nathaniel and Abigail (Hubbard) Hall; died Springfield, Mass., Dec. 18, 1885. Received a common school educa- tion, with one term at the Granville, N. Y., Academy. Taught district school for sev- eral terms; studied law, and was admitted to the Bar 1819; represented Bennington in the Legislature 1827; was clerk of the supreme and county court for Bennington County 1828; states attorney 1828-31 ; be- came a National Republican, a Whig, and finally a Republican; on the death of Con- gressman Jonathan Hunt was elected rep-
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ENCYCLOPEDIA VERMONT BIOGRAPHY
[HOLBROOK
resentative to Congress, representing the south district of the state in Washington ten years, 1833-43, and declining further renomination; bank commissioner for Ver- mont 1843-6; judge of the Vermont su- preme court 1846-50; second controller of the U. S. treasury 1850-1; on resigning, recommending as his successor Edward J. Phelps of Burlington; in 1851 was ap- pointed by President Fillmore chairman of a land commission for California; return- ed to Vermont in the spring of 1854 and resumed the practice of law at Benning- ton; was a delegate to the first Repub- lican national convention at Philadelphia in 1856; elected governor of the state in 1858 by a majority of more than 16,000 over Henry Keyes, the Democratic candi- date, and re-elected in 1859 by a larger majority over John G. Saxe, the poet; was chairman of the Vermont delegation to the fruitless Peace Conference in February, 1861. He was a lifelong student of Ver- mont history; president for six years of the Vermont Historical Society; author of many historical articles and addresses, and of the "Early History of Vermont," a work of over 500 pages published in 1868; was actively interested in the construction of the Bennington battle monument. He received the honorary degree of LL. D. from the University of Vermont in 1857. In 1818 he married Dolly Tuttle Davis of Rockingham; and at a family reunion a few months before his death there were present 51 of his descendants.
HOLBROOK, FREDERICK. Governor 1861-3. Born East Windsor, Conn., Feb. 15, 1813; son of John and Sarah (Knowl- ton) Holbrook; died Brattleboro, April 27. 1909. Attended for two years the Berkshire Gymnasium, Pittsfield, Mass .; visited Europe in 1833. On his return he settled in Brattleboro and devoted him- self to agriculture; contributed many arti- cles to the agricultural press. Elected register of probate for the district of Marl- boro 1847; represented Windham County in the state Senate 1849-50; acting as chairman of a special committee on agri- culture, he prepared and proposed a me- morial to Congress urging the establish- ment of a national bureau of agriculture; chosen in 1850 president of the Vermont State Agricultural Association, of which he was one of the founders, and delivered the first address before that body; elected
to that position in eight consecutive an- nual elections; in 1861, the first year of the Civil War, nominated Republican can- didate for governor of the state and elect- ed by a handsome majority; re-elected 1862; as "war governor" for two years, during the darkest period of the Rebel- lion, responsibilities of the gravest char- acter devolved upon him; under his guid- ance, Vermont was the first state in the Union to provide hospitals for its soldiers ; after retiring from the governorship he declined all further offers of public office. At the time of his death he was in the ninety-seventh year of his age. In 1835 married Harriet Goodhue of Brattleboro; they had three children, Franklin F., Wil- liam C., and John.
SMITH, JOHN GREGORY. Governor 1863-5. Born St. Albans, July 22, 1818; died St. Albans, Nov. 6, 1891; son of John Smith, a leading lawyer and public man of his generation, who represented St. Albans nine successive years in the Legislature; served one term in Congress, and became one of the pioneer railroad builders in Vermont. Graduated from the University of Vermont 1841, and later from the Yale law school. Became associ- ated with his father, in law and railroad business; after his father's death in 1858 succeeded him as director under the lease of the Vermont & Canada R. R. Repre- sented St. Albans in the Legislature for three years, 1861-3, during the last two of which he was speaker of the House; nominated by the Republican party and elected governor of Vermont in 1863 and 1864; was the third and last of our "war governors," and under his administration several regiments were sent to the front; was chairman of the Vermont delegation to the Republican national conventions of 1872, 1880, and 1884. He was president of the Welden National Bank, the Peo- ple's Trust Co., and the Franklin County Creamery Association, and was a life-long member of the Congregational Church. But it was in railroad affairs that he was most conspicuous. The Vermont Central R. R. had been built, 1847-9, from Wood- stock to Burlington. The Vermont & Can- ada R. R. followed, 1848-51, running from Burlington to Rouses Point, but was leased, 1849, to the Vermont Central. Mortgages were placed on the property by the latter, and in 1854 deeds of surrender
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