John Wolcott Stewart

John Wolcott Stewart
33rd Governor of Vermont
In office
October 6, 1870  October 3, 1872
Lieutenant George N. Dale
Preceded by George W. Hendee
Succeeded by Julius Converse
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Vermont's 1st district
In office
March 4, 1883  March 3, 1891
Preceded by Charles Herbert Joyce
Succeeded by H. Henry Powers
United States Senator
from Vermont
In office
March 24, 1908  October 21, 1908
Preceded by Redfield Proctor
Succeeded by Carroll S. Page
Speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives
In office
1876-1878
Preceded by Josiah Grout
Succeeded by James Loren Martin
Speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives
In office
1865–1868
Preceded by Abraham B. Gardner
Succeeded by George W. Grandey
Member of the Vermont Senate
In office
1861–1862
Member of the Vermont House of Representatives
In office
1856
1865–1868
1876-1878
Personal details
Born (1825-11-24)November 24, 1825
Middlebury, Vermont
Died October 29, 1915(1915-10-29) (aged 89)
Middlebury, Vermont
Political party Republican
Spouse(s) Emma Seymour Battell
Children Emma Battell Stewart (1863 - 1926), Philip Battell Stewart (1865 - 1957), Robert Forsythe Stewart (1871 - 1880), Anna Jessica Stewart Swift (1871 - 1982), John W. Stewart (1872 - 1874)
Profession Lawyer
Religion Congregationalist

John Wolcott Stewart (November 24, 1825  October 29, 1915) was an American lawyer and politician from Vermont. He served as Speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives and as the 33rd Governor of Vermont before serving in the United States House of Representatives and briefly in the United States Senate.

Biography

Born in Middlebury, Vermont,[1] Stewart attended the Middlebury Academy, and graduated from Middlebury College in 1846. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1850. He became the prosecuting attorney of Addison County from 1852 to 1854. He married Emma Seymour Battell on November 21, 1860, and they had five children: Emma Battell Stewart (1863 - 1926), Philip Battell Stewart (1865 - 1957), Robert Forsythe Stewart (1871 - 1880), Anna Jessica Stewart Swift (1871 - 1982), and John W. Stewart (1872 - 1874).[2] Emma was the daughter of Philip Battell and Emma Hart Seymour, who was the daughter of U.S. Senator Horatio Seymour.[3] Stewart's brother Dugald served as Vermont Auditor of Accounts from 1864 to 1870.

Career

Stewart served as a member of the Vermont House of Representatives in 1856, and then was a member of the Vermont Senate from 1861 to 1862. He returned to the state House from 1865 to 1867, serving as Speaker, and then became the governor of Vermont from 1870 to 1872. He was the first governor of the state to serve a two-year term.[4] Until 1870, Vermont governors were elected annually.[5] Later he returned to the state House from 1876 to 1878, and again served as Speaker.

Stewart was elected as a Republican to the U.S. House of Representatives in the 1882 election. He was subsequently reelected and served from March 4, 1883 to March 3, 1891. He declined to be a candidate for renomination in 1890, but instead engaged in the banking business at Middlebury. Stewart was appointed to the Senate on March 24, 1908, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Redfield Proctor, and served until October 21 of that year, when a successor was elected.[6]

Death

Stewart retired from political life and active business pursuits, and resided in Middlebury until his death. He is interred at West Cemetery, Middlebury, Addison County, Vermont.[7]

References

  1. "Middlebury, Vermont". City-Data.com. Retrieved June 25, 2014.
  2. "John Wolcott Stewart". Find A Grave. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
  3. John Wolcott Stewart. Encyclopedia, Vermont Biography. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
  4. "John Wolcott Stewart". National Governors Association. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
  5. http://www.snellingcenter.org/filemanager/download/3681
  6. "John Wolcott Stewart". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
  7. "John Wolcott Stewart". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
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Political offices
Preceded by
George W. Hendee
Governor of Vermont
1870–1872
Succeeded by
Julius Converse
United States House of Representatives
Preceded by
Charles Herbert Joyce
U.S. Representative from Vermont's first district
1883–1891
Succeeded by
H. Henry Powers
United States Senate
Preceded by
Redfield Proctor
U.S. Senator (Class 1) from Vermont
1908
Served alongside: William P. Dillingham
Succeeded by
Carroll S. Page
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