Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1862-02-13
THE MRN, OF VERMONT.
22-RYLAND FLETCHER

OI v
familiar, They were among the Gran
tees of the town OF Westminster and M q
early as June 1860, we lind them and a l
very few others. al that town. clearing
the land and making improvements, and
tins fulfilling the conditions OF the charter
OF that town in order that the benefits to I,
be derived from the liberal provisions of I
the charters granted by Benning Went
worth, Governor OF New Hampshire,
might be saved 10 the praprietors and
their posteriy. " j,
OF this name, have been some OF ~. the
most distinguished and useful men OF Yer
mont and the descendants Of the Fletcher
family have received the highest honors
that a State can give, in other States.
Among them, re may mention General
Samuel FLETCHER, one of the early settlers |
4 If Townshend. who was the first Repre-
.antatiye from that town iu the General
Assembly of Vermont, q Councillor,
Judge and Sheriff of Windham County
q and who was afterwards elected Judge
of the Supreme Court of Vermont, but
refused to serve, Of him, we intend
hereafter to speak in detail, and perhaps
of some of the other members OF the
family. Hon. Isaac Fletcher, an eloquent
and distinguished lawyer, who represented
u the fifth district Of Vermont, IN the Con-
press of the United States, from 1887 to
lS4l. Of the descendants OF the female
u branches of the family, We will mention
al only two--the Hon. Epaphrodstus fdnson',
Al Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and
~ Governor of Michigan, who recently
IN died at Fort Scott, Kansas, whilst Re-
ssceiyer of Public Moneys for the Territory ;
and Hon. Isaac Fletcher RedfeId, LID,
for many years Judge and Chief Justice
of the Supreme Court of Vermont.
3 RYLAsD FLETCHER, the twenty-second
~ Gov. of Vermont, was born at Cavendish
e in the county of Windsor and State o.
Vermont, on the 18th day of February
1899. Like all the other Governors O
ssS Vermont, with single exception, wh'
.S have been natives OF the State, he hai
I'M ALWAYS continued TO reside in the town
of his nativity.
X His immediate ancestors we're among
the first settlers of the town of Caven
E dish. The history Of that particuls
branch of the Fletcher family is, in
a measure, the history of not only tha
IA town. but also of the South Western por
H tion OF Windsor county. The first Tow
s Clerk of Cavendish, of which we hay
any record, was Josiah Fletcher. H
k was also one of the first Board of Selec
men. This family, also, furnished one
M the first Representatives from that town
the General Assembly OF Vermont.
Ryland Fletcher had only the benefit
common school education. His ear
life was passed on a farm, and he ha
ever since, almost exclusively, devote
III himself to agricultural pursuits.
Ss He has always been an earnest adv
cate of the anti-slavery cause, and ear
allied himself to what was then called Il
Liberty Party, and later in life became
~ member, If We mistake not, of the Fr
Soil Party. He was frequently supports
@ by the members OF those parties, for Il
various important offices in the gift of Il
people, but they being largely in the n
nority, he was, of couree, unsuccessful.
In 1854, after the passage Of the Ka
sas-Ner0ska Act, the Wings of VI
mont, in order to unite in one party
~ those who were opposed to the principl
ssss contained in that act, nominated Oscar
I'll Skater, for Lieutenant Governor. /
being about to remove to Cali fornia, q
clined the nomination, and Ryla
Fletcher became the candidate for Ii
81 position in his stead, and was the repl
III sentative, on the State ticket, of the alt
Anti-Slavery Party. He was elect
Lieutenant Governor by large major
Of the popular vote, anc was reelected
81 1856.
As Lieutenant Governor, he becar
President OF the Senate. The duties
this station he discharged with abili
III courtesy and impartiality. and at the cl'
s7of both sessions the Senate unanimou,
bore their testimony to that effect. u
Us the more noteworthy, from the fact,
use bis own language, in an address TO
Senate, that be was called from