St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1908-03-11

moved to Massachusetts for time, and
might have become citizen of this state
had not the civil war broken out.
Like so many others, Red6eld Proc.
tor at the age OF 80 closed his law tones,
and FASTENED back to Vermont to Join
the colors He enlisted in the Sd YER
mont in June, 1861, and was given a
commission as lieutenant and made
quartermaster of the regiment The YER
monters were sent to the front at once
but the young lieutenant was not to
stay with his company. for he was soon
appointed to the staff of Gen. Badly ,
Smith, who was commanding the divi-
sion stationed at Camp Griffin and
Chain Bridge. Hardly month had
passed before more troops were called
out, and the 5th Vermont was organized.
Lieut.. Proctor was selected for promo
ton and transferred to the new regiment
as a major. Throughout the Peninsular
campaign he served with his battalion
and won distinction as a leader and
soldier. But during the hardships OF
the marching he contracted serious
illness and was obliged to resign his
commission and return to his home to
recuperate.
Early in the new year Maj. Proctor
regained his strength and was anxious
to return to the front again, so that the
organization of the 18th Vermont and
| his election as it's colonel was most wei
! come He went to the south at the head
of his new command in June of go. At
the head of his Green Mountain boys he
marched to Gettysburg, reaching the
field after dark on the first day of the
battle. Then, to his great regret, and
against the request of Gen. Stannard
the division commander sent the 18th
to the rear to guard the baggage train
He served during the rest of the war, and
at its close was mustered out and re-
turned to Vermont to take up his inter
rupted profession.
After the war he came back to Rutland
and formed law partnership with his
brother Colonel in the Second Vermont
Brigade, the late Wheelock G. Veasey
His great chance for fame came when he
was appointed receiver of the Sutherland
Falls Marble Company of Rutland. This
was in 1869 and in the next ten years
the business had doubled and doubled
and doubled again, and Sutherland mar
Bile became known all over the country.
This company and the Rutland Marble
Company were consolidated in 1850
under the name of the Vermont Marble
Company with Redheld Proctor as its
president and now this corporation Is
the largest of its kind in the world anc
employees $500 men in its various quar-
ries in Rutland county.
Mr.. Proctor's political career was as
successful as his business career and ex
tended over a period of 40 years. II
1867 he represented Rutland in Legisla
ture; in 1874 he was senator from Rut
land county and president pro tempor'
of that body; in 1876 he was elected lieu
tenant governor of Vermont and two
wears later he succeeded Horace Fair
banks as governor. In 1886 the towl
of Proctor was set out from RUTLAND
after one of the bitterest fights ever seer
in the Legislature and two years later N
was the first representative from TIT
town that was named in his honor
When President Harrison was inaugural
ted the following March he choose mar
Proctor as his secretary OF war and after
wards said that he had made the bes
war secretary since Stanton. Whei
George F. Edmunds resigned his place II
the Senate in August, 1891, Gov. Pag
appointed Secretary Proctor to NIL tn
vacancy.
Senator Proctor was commanding
and influential figure in the republican
national conventions of "a, 'o8 an'
1896. He was largely instrumental IL
the nomination of President Harrison
brought the state of Vermont into tn
Mckinley column at it's state convention
when the other New England states wer
supporting New Englands candidate
Thomas B. Reed, and insisted as mem
Der of the platform committee in the ~
convention on the adoption of the gol'
, standard by the party:
AS Secretary Of War he surprised every
body by his reforms and achievements
He found Gen. Macarthur, for instance
buried out at a frontier army post. an
brought him to Washington and place