The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1908-03-05
SENATOR PROCTOR
PASSES AWAY AT
WASHINGTON
Attack Of Grip Develops Into
PIeurisy and Complications
FUNERAL AT PROCTOR FRIDAY
Gov. and Mrs. Proctor at Bedside at
Time OF Death-sksteh OF His
Career.

WASHINGTON, March 5. = United
States Senator Redfeld Proctor of Yer
mont is dead ut mis- apartments at the
Champlain here after short illness
following an attack of grip. The SEN
ators son, Governor Fletcher Proctor
of Vermont. who was summoned to
the city, was at the bedside when the
senator passed away.
Senator Proctor was seventy seven
years old
The senator had been III and con-
fined to his room for about a week.
His ailment was diagnosed as the grip,
which later developed into pleurisy,
with pneumonia complications, which
affected the heart and which in his
enfeebled condition proved too much
for his powers Of resistance.
Besides his son, Governor Proctor,
the governors wife and several init
mate friends Were at the bedside when
death occurred.
The senator had been In feeble health
ever since the assembling Of congress.
and it was remarked by his friends
that for the first time In their recol-
lection he had failed to return from
his usual summer fishing trip in the
high state Of health which he always
enjoyed. His condition became alarm.
Ing, and the members of his family
were notified that the end was near.
The news of his death reached the
senate few minutes after B O'Clock.
Senator Warren, chairman of the COM
mittee on military affairs. was then
urging the passage of bill 10 increase
the pay of the army. which Is meas
ure that for many years has attracted
the interest of the late Vermont sena-
tor. Senator Proctor had advocated
putting the army on an equality with
the navy as regards the pay of enlist
ed men for many years.
The information was communicated
to Vice President Fairbanks. who i'm
mediately advised Senator Warren.
Mr. Warren asked thnt the pending hill
be laid aside for the day. The senate
then adjourned. II was not desired to
formally announce the death for the
reason that It was thought best to lay
aside business for an entire day In re-
spect to the senator's memory. The
official announcement will he madA by
Senator Dillingham;
Senator Proctor had been a conspic-
uous and influential factor In national
and Vermont state politics for many
years, and was reputed to be one OF
the wealthiest members OF the United
states senate. He shared with Sena-
tor Crane of Massachusetts, the dis.
tinction among their fellow members
of being the most effective manipula.
tor in smoothing down those obstacles
which usually arise In the routine Of
legislation.
The Senators most widely known
work In national politics was as chair
man Of the senate committee on agri.
culture, in which he did much for the
farming interests of the country. He
succeeded In putting through the ole
margarine bill, for which Congressman
lGrou had fought many years unsuccess-
fully. Senator Proctor was an expert
on military affairs through his work
with the senate committee on military
affairs. His last conspicuous public
act was to give the state OF Vermont
the $250,000 sanatorium for tuberculo-
sis patients at Pittsford, VT.
Senator Proctor's death occurred at
E50 O'clock yesterday afternoon.
Among the first to call to pay their re-
spects were Vice President Fairbanks
and Senator Scott Of West Virginia
Senator Proctor Is survived by his
wife, two sons, Fletcher ID. Proctor,
governor of Vermont, and Redfield
Proctor Jr, and daughter, Miss Emily
d. Proctor.
Redfield Proctor was the son Of
Jabez and Betsey (Parker) Proctor
and was born in Proctorsville June /,
1881. The American branch of the
Proctor family springs from excellent
English stock. The first ancestor In
this country was Robert Proctor, who
as early as 1915 was living at Concord,
| Mass.
| Three years after graduating from
Dartmouth college in 1851 Redfield
Proctor received the degree Of A. M.
| from that institution. He selected law
as his profession, graduated from the
| Albany law school and was admitted
to the bar in that city and later at
Woodstock. During portion of the
years 1860 and 1861 he practiced In
the office of his cousin, Judge Isaac F.
Redfield, of Boston.
With the outbreak of the civil war
he returned to Vermont and was COM
missioned lieutenant In the Third
regiment. In July, 1861, he became a
member of the staff Of Gen. William
F. (Baldy) Smith. In October he was
transferred to the Fifth regiment and
commissioned major. One year later
he was promoted to the colonelcy OF
the Fifteenth regiment.
He was married in May, 1858, his
wife being Emily j., daughter OF Sci
mon F. and Sarah J. Dutton of Cav
endish.
After his return to Vermont Colonel
Proctor established himself at Rut.
| land and formed law partnership
with the late Wheelock g. Veazey who
was later a Judge of the Vermont SUI
preme court and member Of the In
terstate commerce commission. He
withdrew from the practice Of law in
1859 and became manager for the