Zed S. Stanton

Zedekiah Silloway Stanton[1] (May 1, 1848 – August 15, 1921) was an attorney and judge who served as Lieutenant Governor of Vermont from 1902 to 1904.

Zed S. Stanton

Early life

Zed S. Stanton was born in Roxbury, Vermont on May 1, 1848. He was educated in Roxbury and graduated from Northfield High School. Stanton worked for the Vermont Central Railroad and taught school for several years. He then studied law with Congressman Frank Plumley and two other local lawyers, was admitted to the bar and became an attorney in Roxbury.[2][3]

Political career

Stanton was active in the Republican Party and served in several local offices, including Justice of the Peace, Town Meeting Moderator, Town Clerk and Treasurer, School Superintendent, and school board member. He also served as Washington County Assistant Judge from 1884 to 1888.[4]

He was elected to the Vermont House of Representatives in 1884 and 1886. From 1890 to 1896 he was Washington County State's Attorney; he was succeeded by Fred A. Howland. He served as a state Railroad Commissioner from 1896 to 1898 and was Commission Chairman from 1897 to 1898. Stanton won election to the Vermont Senate in 1900. In 1902 he won election as Lieutenant Governor and served until 1904. Because a Local Option candidate made the election a three way race Stanton with 47.2% did not receive the popular vote majority required by the Vermont constitution, so he was officially chosen by the state legislature.[5][6][7][8]

In 1908 Stanton was narrowly defeated for the Republican nomination for Governor by George H. Prouty.[9][10]

Later career

After losing the nomination for Governor Stanton was elected by the Vermont Assembly to serve as a Judge of the Superior Court; he remained on the bench until his death, and attained by seniority the position of chief judge of the Superior Court.[11][12] He was succeeded as chief judge by Fred M. Butler, who later served as an Associate Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court.[13][14] He was succeeded as a judge on the Superior Court by Julius A. Willcox, who also later served on the Vermont Supreme Court.[15]

Death and burial

Stanton died in Roxbury on August 15, 1921.[16][17][18][19] He was buried in Roxbury Cemetery.[20]

Other

In 1895 Stanton received an honorary master's degree from Norwich University.[21]

References

1. William Adams, Gazetteer of Washington County, Vt., 1783-1889, 1889, pages 456-457. Stanton was named for his maternal grandfather. He was the son of George B. Stanton and Lucretia Silloway. Lucretia's father was Zedekiah Silloway.
2. Genealogical and Family History of the State of Vermont, edited by Hiram Carleton, 1903, pages 436 to 438
3. Gazetteer of Washington County, Vt., 1783-1889, edited by William Adams, 1889, page 457
4. Men of Vermont: An Illustrated Biographical History of Vermonters and Sons of Vermont, compiled by Jacob G. Ullery, 1903, page 373
5. Biennial Report of the Railroad Commission of the State of Vermont, published by the commission, 1898, page 7
6. Vermont: The Green Mountain State, by Walter Hill Crockett, Volume 4, 1921, page 365
7. Newspaper article, Vermont High License Republicans Bolt, New York Times, June 20, 1902
8. General Election results, Vermont Lieutenant Governor, 1813-1908, Office of the Vermont Secretary of State, State Archives and Records Administration, 2008, page 15
9. Norwich University, 1819-1911; Her History, Her Graduates, Her Roll of Honor, edited by William Arba Ellis, 1911, pages 549 to 550
10. Newspaper article, Prouty Nominated for Governor of Vermont, Boston Globe, July 1, 1908
11. Encyclopedia of Vermont Biography, edited by Prentiss Cutler Dodge, 1912, page 90
12. Necrology entry, Zed Silloway Stanton, published in Annual Meeting Proceedings of the Vermont Historical Society, 1921, pages 288 to 289
13. "Julius Willcox Appointed Judge". The Caledonian-Record. St. Johnsbury, VT. August 27, 1921. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
14. Vermont Press Bureau (January 23, 1923). "Judge Butler is Elected to Supreme Bench". Burlington Free Press. Burlington, VT. pp. 1, 2 – via Newspapers.com.
15. "Julius Willcox Appointed Judge", p. 6.
16. Death notice, Zed S. Stanton, New York Times, August 16, 1921
17. The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography, edited by James T. White, Volume 19, 1967, page 120
18. Death notice, Zed S. Stanton, published in Law Notes, by Edward Thompson Company, Northport, New York, Volume 25, October, 1921, page 135
19. Vermont Death Records, 1909-2008, Record for Zed S. Stanton, accessed December 31, 2008
20. Gravestone photos by contributor Bill McKern, Zed Silloway Stanton page, Find A Grave web site, May 24, 2008
21. Who's Who in New England, by Albert Nelson Marquis, Volume 1, 1909, page 879