Vermont daily transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1868-1870, 1868-11-17
The late JHdye anal Coo. Royce.

In the death of Judge Royce, Ner-
mont has lost one of its men of mark ;
one Of those most honored and trusted
in her history one who as just and
upright judge, adorned for twenty-five
years the Supreme Bench of Vermont !;
and who was one of it's most respected.
Governors.
Stephen Royce, the twenty first Gov
ernor of Vermont, was the oldest son
Of Stephen Royce and was born at Tin
mouth, in the County of Rutland, on
the 10Th day of August. 1857. His faith
er was the son of Major Stephec Royce,
Of Timmouth, who was one of the dele
gates to the Convention which met in
Dorset in July, IVA, to declare Ver-
mont free and independent State.
Stephen Royce, the second above nam
ed, moved from Tinmouth to Berk-
shire, in the County of Franklin, and
for many yearsrepresented that town in
the General Assembly of Vermont. He
married daughter of Hon. Eben ezer
Marvin, who was a member of the
first Council of Censors, and Chief Judge
of the County Courts for the counties Of
Rutland, Chittenden and Franklin re-
spectively.
Judge Royce was thus OF honOred an
cestry on both sides. He fitted for Col
lege at the Addison County Grammar
school, graduated at Middlebury Col
lege in 1907, in the same class with
Governor Slade studied law with his
maternal uncle, Ebenezer Marvin, Jr.,
Esq, at Sheldon was admitted to the
bar in Franklin county and commence
ed the practice of his profession at East
Berkshire. After remaining there a
short time, he removed to Sheldon, in
the same county, where he continued in
practice about six years. After this he
removed to st. Adams, and continued
in active practice till 1929, except dur
ing the years 1926 and 1927, when he
was one of the Judges of the Supreme
Court. In 1929 he again removed to
East Berkshire. He represented the
town of Sheldon in the Legislature of
Vermont in 1915 and and 1916. He was
also Represe NATIVE from st. Adams in
1922, 1923 ana 1924, and was the delegate
from that town to the Constitutional
Convention of 1922. During the years
1915 and 1917, while residing at Sheldon,
he was States Attorney for the county
Of Franklin.
In 1926 he was elected one of the AS
sociate Judges of the Supreme Court of
Vermont, and was reelected in 1926.
The next year he declined a re-elec-
ton, resumed practice. In 1920 he was
again elected one of the Judges of the
Supreme Court, and was continued on
the bench till 1852, receiving twenty
three successive annual elections, and
serving in all twenty-five years as Judge
ofthe Supreme Court of Vermont-long-
er than any other person has ever held
that Office in this State. On the retire
ment of Judge Williams, in 1916, he was
unanimously elected Chief Justice, and
was reelected in ls47, '48, 40, 80, and
81. In 1852 he declined a reelection
and retired to his farm in East Berk-
shire.
During the same year, QS52,) he was
appointed by Governor Fairbanks,
Chairman of Board of Commissioners,
authorized by resolution of the Legis.
lature, to report such provisions and
amendments in regard to pleadings and
practice in our courts, as in their judg-
ment would be beneficial.
In 1854, and during the excitement
which followed the passage of the Kan
sas-Nebraska Bill, Judge Royce was
nomin ated for Governor, at the time OF
the organization ofthe Republican party