The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-07-17
PORTRAIT OF JUDGE PRENTISS

Painted by the Artist of Athenwood and
Presented by the Judges Son to the
United States Court, District of yer-
mont-It Adorns the Walls of the Fed
era1 Building.
A pleasant event occurred on the as
sembling of the United States court, Tues
day afternoon, when a portrait of Judge
Samuel Prentiss, the work of Thomas W.
Wood, president of the National Academy
of Design, Of New York, was presented to
the court by United States District At
torney John H. Senter. Frederick j. Prem
tiss, son of Judge Prentiss, whose obituary
notice appeared in the WATCHMAN only two
weeks ago, commissioned Mr.. Wood to
paint this portrait, which he was anticipat.
ing presenting to the court in person. 1t is
a life-size painting Of this former celebrated
Vermont jurist, representing him in a sit
ting posture, holding. roll of manuscript,
and is said, by the few In Montpelier who
knew Judge Prentiss in his lifetime, to be
an excellent and faithful production In
presenting this portrait. Mr. Senter said:
" May it please your honors, by reason Of
my official position, 1 have been selected as
speaker for the bar of this court to present
to the bar of the circuit court and of this
court this portrait of Judge Samuel Prem
tiss During last summer his son, Freder-
ick j. Prentiss, who was born in this town,
spent the season here. He became very
much interested in this court room in this
new federal building in his native town
and was importuned to have portrait OF
his honored father painted by another we'll
known native of this town, Mr.. Thomas W.
Wood, and presented to this court. Judge
Prentss, whose portrait am now present.
ing, was admitted to the bar Of the supreme
court of Vermont in 1902, and began the
practice of law in Montpelier. In 1922 he
was elected associate judge of the supreme
court of the state of Vermont, but, distrust-
ing his own abilities, and thinking that he
ha ha
cliped it. In 1925, he was elected repre-
sentative from Montpelier, and, during that
session of the legislature, he twas elected
Judge. In 1929, he was elected chief Judge,
position which he held for two years, and
in 1880 he was elected senator from Vermont
to the national congress- He was re-
elected in 1886, and in 1S4l he was appointed
Judge of this district-a position which he
held from 1S41 to 1857, position that he not
only held but filled. He not only held the
office of judge, but he was at the same time
one of the ablest jurists that ever sat on any
bench. In the senate he was associated
with Webster, Benton, Clay and Calhoun,
and, I say it with pride, he was the peer of
any one Of them. He spoke as a statesman
and to the whole country. The opinions in
the Vermont Reports which he wrote have
stood during the sixty five years since, not
one of them changed or revised by any sue
ceeding supreme court of the state of Ver-
mont. In behalf of his grandson (who is
| ny DuSlHoSS liOL Do-
ing here to-day; in behalf of his son, the do
nor, who looked forward TO this occasion with
so much INTEREST," in behalf of the whole
Prentiss family, whose names will always
be revered,-I present this portrait, painted
by lifelong resident of this town, to this
court 1t is a portrait, your honors, of one
who has done much to make this country
proud of it's crop of noble men" Hon. B. f.
Fifeld referred feelingly to Judge Prentiss
and to the record he left behind him in Ver-
mont, and the portrait was accepted by
Judge Wheeler who said, in part: l have
never had a personal acquaintance with
Judge Prentiss, in fact think l never saw
him; but am told by those who have rea-
son to know that this portrait reproduces
his features remarkably WELL He was a
lawyer and Judge. A judge is mostly
known and shown by his opinions. Judge
Prentiss delivered but few, but they were
models of completeness and learning. IL is
most fitting that his portrait should hang in
this court room. The court accepts it, and
the clerk is directed to record the presenta-
ton and acceptance" Immediately after
adjournment, a meeting of the bar was held,
when appropriate resolutions were adopted,
which were embodied in the court records