The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1877-03-17
UNITED STATES JUDGES FOR YER.
MONT

MONT.
The appointment of Hoyt II. Wheeler,
one of the judges of the supreme court of
Vermont and now holding court in Rut-
land, as United States district Judge of Ver-
mont, while surprise, will receive the
hearty and unanimous approval of the pee
pie Of the whole state-the only possible
objection there can be TO it is, that it will
remove one of the best of our judges from
the state courts. An able lawyer, learn
ed judge, good citizen, an honest man
whom the Office seeks out-what more can
the people ask? What higher eulogy can
be paid, 1t is this kind of appointments
that is commencing the administration Of
President Hayes to the approval of the
country.
In connection with this most admirable
appointment, it may not be amiss to refer,
briefly, to his predecessors-we trust that
decades of years may intervene before q
similar occasion calls for like reference
again-and we, therefore, give herewith,
OiiCl oAOtShSo Va tho pCNulhl ShitCu ptolCb
district Judges fer Vermont.
Nathaniel Chapman of Rutland-179l-
1793-was born at Salisbury, Connecticut,
November Is, 1863, and graduated at Yale
college in 1777. In the spring of 1777, he
was commissioned alieutenant in the con-
tinental army, was with the army at Valley
Forge during the winter of 1777-7S, and
during the campaigns Of the ensuing sea-
Son, was present at the battle of Mon
mouth, and resigned his commission Octo-
Der 10, 1878. After studying law some
four or five months, he was admitted to
the bar, in March, ITO, at Litchfield, Con-
neclicut, and almost Immediately left for
Vermont, arriving in falmouth, \ bril- 10,
ITO. In the June following, in the words
of the record, eat superior court holden
at Rutland in the county of Bennington,
on the I'd Thursday of June A. D. 1910.
Nathaniel Chapman was appointed at
torney at law, sworn and licensed to
plead at the bar within the state" and
was the third lawyer in the state-Stephen
r. Bradley of Westminster, and Moab
Smith of Bennington preceding him-and
the first within the county of Rutland
and for the next ten years his name
appears upon the docket as attorney
in nearly every case before the court in
this county. Upon the organization of
Rutland county, in 1881, he was appointed
states attorney, and retained the office un-
til 1876, when he was succeeded by his
brother Darius. In 1876, he was elected a
judge of the supreme court of Vermont
being the first lawyer elected a judge Of
that court. At the end of the year he
returned to his practice at the bar, but was
again called to the bench, and made Chief
justice, IN 1880, and continued as such un.
til October 1901, when he was appointed,
by Washington, judge of the United States
district court for Vermont. This office he
resigned in 1893, because there was moi
business enough to occupy his time. In
1876 he was again elected chief justice Of
the supreme court of Vermont, and, also
in 1918 and 1914. In 1889, he was one Of
the commissioners to settle the New Yorl
controversy, and, in 1900, TO negotiate the
admission of Vermont into the Union. III
repret ented Tinmouth in the general Assem-
bly, of Vermont in 1884, 1885, 1906, 1907
1903, 1909 and 1910; aud Rutland in TIT
convention which, in 1901, ratified the con
stirution of the United States was United
States senator from October, 1897 to Marcel
1903 member of the council of censors il
1918 professor Of law in Middlebury col
lege from 1916 to 1s43 published the frs
volume of Vermont reports and died q
Tinmouth, February IS, 1913, at the ad
vanced age Of ninety-ons years.
Samuel Hitchcock of Burlington an
Vergennes-1703-1 801-was born a. Brim
field, Massachusetts, March 80, 1865, an
graduated at Harvard college in l777. II
studied law with the Hon. Jedediah Foi
ter, at Brookield, and was admitted I
the bar at Worcester. He removed I
Burlington in 1886; was the first state
attorney of Chittenden county-17S7- 1906
representative from Burlington 1886
1890, 1901, 1902 and 1903; delegate TO tn
convention which ratified the constitution
of the United States In 1901; attorney gen
eral OF Vermont l700-1793; presidents
elector In 1902 one of the commissioner
for the revision of the statutes in 1897
appointed by Washington judge of the dil
trict court of Vermont In 1903, and hel
this office until 1901 when he was appoint
ed by President Adams one of the judge
of the circuit court of the United State
for the second circuit, and was legislate
out Office, on the incoming of Jefferson'sa az
ministiation. by the repeal of the judiciar
act. He died at Burlington, November 81
1918. a sedafty-eight years. His wife was
dauS hter OF Ethan Allen. Msjor Gener'
Ethan AL en- Hitchcock OF the Units
States army, and Henry Hitchcock, chic