Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-10-12
DANIEL ROBERTS DEAD.
PASSED AWAY AT 5 O'CLOCK FRI
DAY AFTERNOON.
S9th Year and Had Practiced 81 Years
Monday.


the oldest practcng lawyer in Vermont
and one of the oldest attorneys in active
practice in the United states, and prom
incnt and highly esteemed citizen of Bur
lington' and of Ncrmont passed from
earth
Mr.. Roberts was born in Wallingford,
VT, May %, 1Sll-thc son of Daniel and
Almira Roberts, who were natives of
Litchfield county, Connecticut Daniel.
Senior, was the son Of a soldier of the
Revolution, and one of the carly settlers
in Wallingford VT, whence he moved to
Manchester. VT, about 1880. His son,
Daniel, was the nth of family of ten
children. He spent his boyhood on his
fathers farm; entered Middlobury college
at the age Of is years and graduated in
1929, being at the time Of his death the old
est surviving alumnus of that institution.
After leaving college he studFd law with
Hon. Harvey f}etton Of Walllngford, and
was admitted to the bar Of Rutland cJun-
~ at the September term in 1892. lie then
went to seek his fortune in the West ana
South, going down the Mississippi to New
Orleans. and stopping Mt Natchcz, Miss,
where he was admitted to the 'nr. but
did not find sufficient encouragement 20
cmain long. Returning North he went to
Jacksonville. Illinois. whore his ClasSm1te
Rev. Truman NJ Post was engaged as
tutor in Illinois College; and CoinmtnCed
the practice OF his profession iO that place
in the office of Hon. Murray Mcconnell In
1885, he returned to Vermont on "A visit
and was persuaded to remain and open
aw Office ian his native town. He, however
soon found a better opening elsewhere,
and in 1896 he removed to Manchester.
VT, whore he took the office of the late
Judge Milo |" Bennett, when the latter re-
moved to Burlington and practiced law
with ability and success for twenty years.
In !Sj6 decming that Burlington offered
better field for his powers. he removed to
this town, with his family They IT sided
! for a year or two in the house on College
street now owned and occupied by Judge
T.. T.. Wales. Later he purchased the
house on Main street, which was thercaf-
ter his home until his death. on coming
to burlington he formed a partnership
with Hon. L. II. Chittcnden. which was
ended by the removal OF Mr.. Ghittcndcn
to Washington, when he was appointed
register Of the United States treasury in
1851. Aztec that he practiced by himself
till about 1s75 he took his second son,
Robert Roberts. into partnership with
with himself under the firm name of Rob-
ortS x Roberts. He remained in COntinu-
GUS and active practice of the law. praC-
tically up to the time of his dclth-a pc
riod Of siXty-seVen years OF service at
the Car. His pGacticc extended ever the
counties of Chittcnden, Addison. Rutland
and Bennington. and in the United Statos
/ Courts, and comprised a great variety
OF cases civil and criminal. HIS name APP
pears as an attorney In the State Law
REPORTS in 1887. and appears in a similar
capacity in every subsequent volume Of
the Reports. up to and including tEe 70rh
volumc-the last published. There can he
very few parallels to a legal practice OF
such remarkable duration.
Mr. Roberts held several public Offices
of considerable responsibility. He was
State Bank commissioner, 1881; special
agent of tho United States treasury de-
pattmcnt. 1885,. city attorney of Burling-
ton, 1S6j-6, 1870, 1SSo-Sl; States attorney
of Chittenden county. 1S6S.9 He was Of
fcrcd the position OF solicitor Of the Uni'-
ed stats treasury department during Gen.
Grants first term as President. but do
clinrd the Offer Though never a mcmhc1'
II the Legislature. nc had not "A little
share for many years ia shaping the
laws Of our State In particular NJ was
largely instrumental in securing slmpl-
fcation Of the old rules Of criminal pcad-
ing. and in cnlarging the property rights
OF women His views upon law reform
were stated at length in the address whic h
ne delivered as president OF the Vermont
Ear Association in 1880
lie was engaged for a number of years
in preparing the valuable Digest Of the
decisions 81 the supreme Court Of Yer
mont, which was published in 1873, with
the supplement thereto, published in 1859.
~ az. 'arH 'l'u 'rrScn'SS Oh statement
- 'iuit i,,t1H' - " "i'u'L II
"uliu." ny "i"ot'S '"c no"'-
judiciary.
WI l'opcrIS was 'ilo orator OF 'nc udy
~ inc vermont ''t''ntI ctIc"ratioH al
b'HiiliStoil III N"EuSt' 80 wien H' uc-
Neieu an Impressive addre'S' NdIuapio
rs historic Al document, anu auihrap!o
III us S'h"'tuly HnlSh ana S'HIt, IN gen
trai IL may ne Salu lhat MI hopcrlS Had
a me command oil rhe fhslSh Rang uAEe
ana q style worthy OF limitation loi clear
ness ana conclSehesS
Al the scml-cent"nlal CT ms college
cIaSS IN lA' ne received me dtef'e al
W.. ~, from MlddIenury college,
In jury, 1877, Mr.. Roperts was married
: TO caroline, daughter OF Kew stephen
Martndale of Wallingford, who died June
u, 1881. Four childien survive hlm-MarY
: Caroline Nj, Dr stephen NJ. OF Nantucket
Mr. Roberts was man OF marked char
p acter-of untTing Industry, OF great in
dependence of Judgment and action. Of
= fine literary taste, of poetic tcmpcra-
ment though he did not often WOO the
muse in writing; gifted in song. lover
of music, and Of all things good and true
In politics he was froc-soler in tn,
days preceding the formation of the To-
publican party-and we believe at one
time he came near to being sent TO con.
gress from the First district. Later hc
was a staunch republican. He was n firm
: supporter of temperance, law. order, edu-
cation and religion. He was the ptesi-