Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1843-02-21
DIED.

On the 10th ms, of congestion Of the brain. af
ter an illness of only l6 hours Martha Ninal
daughter of Gen f. w Hopkins, Of this village
aged years and 4 months
In this town on the sth inst, Helen Alvira.
daughter of Mosc, and Mary Ann Gilbert aged
10 months and days
In Granville, Jan 3lst, Abby Mason, wife Of
James F. Esty, aged % years.
At Tinmouh on Wednesday the 18th inst
Hon Nathaniel Chapman l. l. y. Professor Of
Law in Middlebury College, in the Dist year of
his age
Judge Chapman was the third person admitted
to the practice Of law in our Courts, was at hc
time of his dcccasc the Oldest living lawyer in the
State and stood IN ability and legal acquisition,
as well as in point oftimc, at the head OF the RuT-
LAND COUNTY BAR
Hc YVES born in Salisbury, Connecticut, in 1852
and graduated a, Yale College in M Hesoon
moved to Vermo and located himself a, Rutland,
where he remained until about 1900, then remov-
ed to Tmmouth where he has since resided.
He was admitted TO the bar at the session Of
the Superior Court holden at Rutland then IN the
County of Bennington on the second Thursday Of
juno l71o. By diligence and attention to his pro-
lesson he soon earned well deserved reputation
as a lawyer In Oct l7S6 he was elected a
Judge of the Supreme Court, and in Oct 1889
was chosen Chief Justice which Office he held
during the two ensuing years. During his life
he was oitenmcs the representative of his town
to the General Assembly and its delegate to State
Conventions He was one of the Commissioners
in behalf Of Vermont appointed in 1889, to adjust
our differences with New York In 1890 he
was appointed Joint commissioner with Lewis
II. Morris Esq to negotiate the admission OF Yer
mont into the Union. This was effected in 1871
when he was appointed by Washington, Judge OF
the United States District Court for the district Of
Vermont This Office he retained until 1893
when becoming disconnected with the inactivity
Of its duties, he resigned During his ncumbcn
cy he prepared and published two books one
Reports ofJudicial Decisions in our Court. and
Distortions upon various branches Of our law en-
titled Reports and Dissertations" the other du.
odecimo volume entitled Principles of Govern
ment" The latter ofthese was revised and re-
published with additions in an octave form Of 1873
pages in 1888.
He was again chosen Chief Justice Of our Su
preme Court in 1896 and al the same time was
appointed one Of committee to revi Sc Statute
laws. The duties of this committee were mostly
discharged By Judge C alone, the result of which
was the laws of 1897, which is often now Spoken
ofby our abes lawyers as being the best compi
| alton we ever possessed and which was said By
ono competent to Judge to be the bestcode of laws
l1al COuIJ DC lOuUi IN the Congressional lSlDfdIy
at Washington.
In 1907 he was elected L. S Senator, and ser
we'd this Stale in that capacity during the SIX sue
ceeding ycass In October, 1913 he was elected
; Chief Justice Of our Supreme Court, and contr
ued in that Office during the next two years AT
ter leaving the bench ia 1918 he continued 10 thu
practice Of his profession but a few years II
1915 he was chosen Professor Of Law IN Middle
bury College to supply the vacancy occasion e
! by the resignation Of his brother, the Hon Dame
Chapman He continued TO hold this trust at the
time OF his death though for several past year,
the proicssorship has been merely nominal one
!, Judge Chipmans auainmonts in literature anc
science, his legal requirements and his distinguish
ed reputation as jurist and statesman are to-
: well known to require more than an ailuson Il
: them in order to do justice to his memory Hr
!, works his private and professional reputation
! the many and important Offices he held. the dutic
of which he discharged with faih(ulness and in
tegriy, oil bear ample testimony to his ability an'
his worth ".