Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-09-22
SOME VERMONT SPEAKERS.
(From the Montpelier Jonrnall


AS the time approaches for the cleo
ion of speaker of the House OF Rep
'esentatives it may he of interest to con-
,ider some Of the men who have occupied
that position. Fifty-nve men nave been
elected to that office.
The first speaker, chosen at the ses-
sion Of March. 177s, held at Windsor. was
Joseph Bowker Of Rutland. He was
president Of several conventions for the
forma ton of n State. held in 1875. lie was
elected a member of the governors coun-
ell seven times. He was the first Judge
Of the Rutland shire of the county and
first judge of probate for Rutland county.
Mr.. Bowker having been elected a coun-
cllor, Nathan Clark was elected. to sue
coed him In the office, and presided at
the June session. lie was a native Of
Connecticut, was member from Ben
nington, and was chairman of the local
committee of safety, receiving the thanks
Of General Gates for his promptness in
supplying the American army AZ Tcon-
deroga with -four. One son, Isaac Clark.
was a colonel in the War of 1872 and was
known as "Old Rife"
In the list of Vermont speakers may
be found men who have held the fol-
lowing offices:
Governors--Isaac Tichenor, Carlos Cool
idge. ]. Gregory Smith. John w Stewart
Josiah Grout. William w. Stickney
Fletcher u. Proctor.
LieutenantG ovcrnors-.Joseph Marsh.
Aaron Leland, William G. Kittridge.
United States Senators--Stephen r.
Bradley. Isaac Tichenor. Dudley Chase.
Solomon Foot, George F. Edmunds, John
W. Stewart.
Representatives in Congress Nathaniel
Niles. Lewis r. Morris. Gideon DIN. ID.
AFRO A. Buck. George z. Wales. Solomon
Foot, Charles r. Joyce, John W. Stewart,
II. Henry Powers, Kittredge Haskns
Judges-Increase Mosley. Thomas Por-
ter. Nathaniel Niles. stephen r. Brad
ley. Theophilus Harrington. Daniel Far
rand, Dudley Chase, Richard Skinner. II.
Henry Powers, Henry r. Start, James l..
Martin.
District Attorneys-W William \. Girls
void, Kittredgc TIas1ins, James l.. Mar
tin.
United States Marshal-Iowis r. Nor
rs
Secretary Of statc-Thomas Chandler,
Jr.
The speakers who have served more
Than one term. and tho number of terms
they have held the office, are given here
with: Gideon Cliu, seven; p. AFRO A
Buck six; Dudley Chase, George w
Grandey. five, William A. Griswold
Aaron Leland, Ebenezer ~ briggs, Car
los Coolidge. John W. Stewart, four:
Thomas Chandler, Ir., Thomas Porter
Amos Marsh, Robert l.. Bates John
Smith, Solomon Foot, Thomas e Powers
George T. Edmunds. Josiah Grout. James
~, Martin, three Increase Moslcy, Lewis
R. Norris Abel Spencer. Daniel Chip
man, George l.. Wales, William C. Kit
'redgc Augustus +. Hunton. Abraham r.
Gardner, William VI. 9tickncy, John II.
Merrifed, Thomas G. Cheney. two.
1t will he seen from this record that
some of the ablest men in vermont his
tory have occupied the Speakers chair
finding this of'cc a stopping stone 10
higher positions.
The Legislature, Of course, cho ,ses its
presiding officer, not for the purpose OF
rawarding or advancing any man, but
with tho single object of securing the best
possible presiding officer. II Is important
nat he shall he "A man familiar with
parliamentary usageS, of good presence
'actful, well balanced, skillful in OK
pcditinE buriness. and above all one who
"an be depended upon TO mako mp the
House committees without prejudice or
undue favor for any special interest
Much of the success of tho session will
'epend upon choosing the right man for
speakor.