The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1867-11-29
The Governors of Vermont.
srrrnEN noYcE.

mouth, III the county VI hutiduus
about the year IVA, and Immediately
became II leading man among the
many able men of that town, who were
distinguished in the carly history of
the State He was ono OF the dele
gates from Tinmouth TO the Conven
ton which met at Cephas Kent's in
Dorset, in July, TIA, to declare Yer
mont free and Independent State -
His son Stephen moved to Berkshire,
in the county Of Franklin, and for
many years represented that town in
the General Assembly of Vermont /
He married daughter of the Hon.
Ebcnezer Marvin Judge Marvin oc
cupied leading place in our early /
history. He was member of the first /
Council Of Cepsors, and and respect +
lively ChiefJudge Of the County Courts
for the counties of Rutland, Chitten-
den, and Franklin.
Stephen Royce, the twenty-frst
Governor, was the Oldest son of Steph-
en- Royce, the second son of the above
named, and was born at Iinmouth, on
4 the 18th day of August, 1857. ne
prepared for College Mt the then wide
/ ~ known Addison County Grammar
School, and graduated at AIiddlebury
College in 1907, in the same class
with Governor Slade OF this class
we have more particularly spoken in
another article.
He studied with his maternal uncle,
Ebenezer Marvin, Jr.. Esq, at Shell
don After reading the usual length
OF time he was admitted to the bar in
Franklin county He first commenc-
ed the practice Of his profession at
East Berkshire, III Franklin county
After remaining there short time, he
removed to sheldon, in the same
county, where he Continued in practice
about six years. After this he remoy-
ed to st. Adams, and continued in &C
tive practice till 1929, except during
the years 1926 and 1927, when he was
one Of the Judges of the Supreme
Court In 1929 he again removed to
East Berkshire, where he still resides.
He represented the town of Sheldon
in the Legislature of Vermont, in 1915
and 1916 He was also Representa-
tive from st. Adams in 1922, 1923, and
1924, and was the delegate from that
town to the Constitutional Convention
of 1922
During the years 1916 and 1917
while residing at Sheledon, he was
States Attorney for the county OF
Franklin.
S In 1926 he was elected one of the
e Associate Judges of the Supreme Cour:
r of Vermont, and was re elected in Is.
3 25. The next year he declined re.
t election, and resumed the practice Of
t his profession. In 1929 he was again
b elected one OF the judges of the Su
!. preme Court, and was continued Oh
T. the bench till 1852, thus receiving
+ twenty three successive elections which
= together with his former service
s makes twenty-five years as Judge o
= the Supreme Court of Vermont
IS longer term of service than any othei
d person has ever held that Office in thi
l. State On the retirement of Judg
5 Wilson, in 1916, he was unanimousl,
l elected Chief Justice, and was re-elect
il ed in lS47, AS, 40, so, and 81 Il
IF 1852 he declined re election, and re
turned to his farm in East Berkshire
/ with the intention of passing the res
Ie of his days in retirement
h During the same year 1852 he wa
l. appointed by Gov. Fairbanks Chair
n man of Board of Commissioners
ID authorized by resolution of the Leg
le islature, to report such provisions an
c, amendments in regard to pleading
v and practice in our courts, as in thei
De judgments would be beneficial.
es Soon after the passage of the Terri
r torial Bills, so we'll known as the Kan
e. sas- Nebraska Blu, by Congress, in 1854
~ the Wings of Vermont met in Conver
e. ton, for the purpose of declaring thei
I'd views in reference to principles cor
~ tanned in those measures, and for tn
r further purpose of nominating cand
st dates, to be supported by that part,
ar in the ensuing State election. Stepl
s. en- Royce, who had always been
ct Wing, with great unanimity was nom
r mated for Governor. Oscar L. Sha
OF ter was in like manner nominated fc
Lieutenant Governor. He subsequent
ly declined the nomination, and RI
lg land Fletcher was placed on the tick
IN ct in his stead Both of these gentle
lS men had of late years acted with til
ne ultra Anti Slavery party. In the resC
10 lutions adopted by the Convention We
e. the following, which vas adopted by
- unanimous vote:
er ResoiUed, That we hereby invite til
ds cooperation Of all the freemen of We
at mont, who agree with US in principle
re and purposes herein set forth, offerin
n8 on our part, most cordially, to civ
III our confidence to those who confide
es us.
III By this course all those who belle
'ei ed that it was tae right and duty
~ Congress, under the Constitution.
ne prohibit by positive enactment the e
~ tension Of slavery into the Territorl'
o. of the United States, then free, we
'n consolidated in one party. Althoue
S -, this was nominally a Wing Conventlo
=, and was called as such-yet by Il
III course it pursued, both in its nomin
or tons and in its declaration of prime
"a" ples--it was, IN fact, the first hepu5
can Coauetioa IN Vermont. The ne