# Bradley Smalley

Bradley Barlow Smalley (November 26, 1835 – November 6, 1909) was an American politician who served as the Collector of the Port of Burlington from 1885 to 1889, and 1893 to 1897, and was a member of the Democratic National Committee from 1876 to 1908. He represented Burlington, Vermont, in the Vermont House of Representatives for two terms and served on the Burlington Board of Aldermen.
Smalley was born in Jericho, Vermont, the son of David Allen Smalley. He became a court clerk in 1861, was admitted to the bar in 1863, and was a founding member of the Vermont Bar Association. During the American Civil War he worked as an aide-de-camp under Governor Frederick Holbrook.
Heavily involved in the activities of the Vermont Democratic Party, Smalley was its chair, member to the DNC, and attended four Democratic National Conventions. He unsuccessfully sought the positions of Speaker, U.S. Senator, and Governor.

## Early life

Bradley Barlow Smalley was born on November 26, 1835, in Jericho, Vermont, to David Allen Smalley and Laura Barlow, the daughter of Bradley Barlow. Their family moved to Burlington, Vermont, when Smalley was four years old.

## Career
### Legal and appointments

William H. Hoyt resigned from his position as clerk of the United States District Court for the District of Vermont and Smalley was appointed to replace him on January 1, 1861, and held the position until July 1, 1885. That same year Governor Frederick Holbrook selected him as an aide-de-camp with the rank of colonel handled the enlisting, equipping, and forwarding of soldiers during the American Civil War.
Smalley was admitted to the bar in Chittenden County on October 3, 1863, and the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York in 1869. He was a founding member of the Vermont Bar Association in 1878. Smalley was a director of the Central Vermont Railway and Rutland Railroad Company.
President Grover Cleveland appointed Smalley collector of the port of Burlington, a position his father held, from September 1, 1885, to September 1, 1889, and September 1, 1893, to October 1, 1897. George Grenville Benedict was appointed to replace him in 1889, and Olin Merrill in 1897. President Benjamin Harrison appointed Smalley as one of the commissioners to negotiate with the Cheyenne in 1890.

### Party politics

Smalley was appointed to the Democratic town committee in Burlington in 1855, and assistant secretary of the Vermont Democratic Party's state convention that year. He was a substitute delegate from Vermont's 3rd congressional district to the 1860 Democratic National Convention in Charleston, South Carolina, and a delegate to the 1872, 1876, 1880, and 1884 conventions. He was an alternate delegate to the 1866 National Union Convention. He was the chair of the state party and the political boss of the Vermont Democrats.
H.B. Smith, Vermont's member of the Democratic National Committee, died in 1876, and Smalley was appointed to replace him. He held the position until he declined to seek reelection in 1908, citing poor health and was succeeded by Thomas H. Brown. The DNC selected him to serve as secretary in 1892.

### Local and state politics

In 1865, Smalley was elected as an election inspector for Burlington's South Ward. Leverett B. Englesby defeated Smalley for Chittenden County State's Attorney in 1866 and 1867.
L. Underwood resigned as alderman from the North Ward in 1865, and Smalley ran to replace him, but lost to Noble B. Flanagan. F.M. Van Sicklen defeated Smalley for a seat on Burlington's Board of Aldermen from the south ward in 1868. Alderman Calvin H. Blodgett was elected mayor of Burlington in 1874, and a special election was held for his 5th ward seat. The Republicans and Democrats both gave their nominations to Smalley, who won and was reelected in 1875.
In 1874, Smalley was elected to represent Burlington in the Vermont House of Representatives. 52 representatives voted for him in the 1874 Speaker vote on the second ballot, behind H. Henry Powers's 125. Torrey E. Wales defeated him in 1876, but he defeated Wales in 1878. Incumbent U.S. Senator George F. Edmunds defeated Smalley in the 1880 U.S. Senate election. Republican nominee Levi K. Fuller defeated Smalley in the 1892 gubernatorial election.

## Personal life

Smalley was an Episcopalian. He married Caroline Maria Baxter, with whom he had five children, on June 4, 1860, in Burlington. His daughter married John Holmes Jackson. Smalley died in Burlington on November 6, 1909. Caroline died on March 16, 1915.

## Electoral history

1868 Burlington Board of Alderman South Ward election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | | F.M. Van Sicklen | 121 | 53.54% |
| | | Bradley Smalley | 105 | 46.46% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 226 | 100.00% |
1880 United States Senate election in Vermont :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | George F. Edmunds (incumbent) | 203 | 92.69% |
| | Democratic | Bradley Smalley | 16 | 7.31% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 219 | 100.00% |
1892 Vermont gubernatorial election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Levi K. Fuller | 38,918 | 64.99% |
| | Democratic | Bradley Smalley | 19,216 | 32.09% |
| | Prohibition | Edward L. Allen | 1,525 | 2.55% |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 221 | 0.37% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 59,880 | 100.00% |