Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1899-12-14

ton, p. @, May "a, 1886, Of American
parents, both father and mother havipe
been born in Caledonia county. Vermont
to which they returned when William wa,
10 years of age.
His great-grandfather, Elijah Grout o.
Charlestown, N. H., served as a commits,
sary in the revolutionary war. His grand,
father, Theophilus Grout, settled on the
Moose river in the new state Of Vermont
upon land afterwards included in the pres.
emit town OF Kirby, in the year 1899, and
there cleared large farm. William W
Grout received a common school and acad.
envy education, and was graduated at the
Poughkeepsie law school, New York, in
1857, with the degree of LII. B. He wa,
admitted to the bar in.the same year and
began the practice Of law at Barton, Vt. in
1858. In 1862 he was nominated state,
attorney by the republicans OF Orleans
county, but declined the nomination and
enlisted in company then being raised in
Barton for the war. He was made captain
of the company and later lieutenant colonel
of the 18th regiment, which was assigned
to STANDARDS brigade. In August, 1864,
Colonel Grout was mustered out with hi,
regiment on account of expiration Of term
Of service. In the fall of that year the ene-
my raided St. Adams, robbing banks, etc.
and by order of Governor Smith, Colonel
Grout was placed in command of the pro-
visional forces raised on the east side of
the mountain to guard the Canadian from.
tier. The legislature, then in session, or
ganized three brigades Of militia, and Col.
Grout was elected brigadier-general and as.
signed by the governor to the command OF
one of them. In 1865 he was elected state:
attorney of Orleans county, and was re-
elected in 1866. In 1868 he was elected
a member Of the lower house of the Yer
mont legislature, and reelected to fourth
term. In 1876 he was elected to the state
senate from the county of Orleans and on
organization was made pre'ident pro tenn.
of that body. In 1868 be was nominated
for congress by the republicans of the third
district butwas beaten by Bradley Barlow,
greenbacker. In 1880 he was elected to
the 47th congress from the third district,
and was q candidate for nomination in the
second district in 1882, but was defeated
by Judge Poland. In 1884 General Grout
was nominated by the publicans of the
second district, and wa. elected TO the 49th
congress by m jority of over $4,000, and
has since been reelected to the 50th, 51st,
SD, SD, 54th, 55th, and 18th congresses,
invariably running ahead Of his ii ,ket. He
has served on the committees on terri
tories, levees and improvements of the
Mississippi river, education, Dictrict Of
Columbia (of which he was chairman in
the 51st congress). exper ditures in the in
terror. treasury and var departments, ant
upon the committee on appropriations, also
on several important select committees.
Meanwhile General Grout was engaged
in active law -actice until 1888. He now
owns and reside, upon the old homestead
in Kirby. VT, where bi, grandfather set
tied in 1899, and which has been in the
family ever since, and dur ng the recesse.
of congress gives his attention to farming
The degree of LII Dwas conferred on hin
by Norwich university in 1897.