Fletcher Dutton Proctor (November 7, 1860 – September 27, 1911) was an American businessman, a Republican politician, and the 51st

governor of Vermont The governor of Vermont is the head of government of Vermont. The officeholder is elected in even-numbered years by direct voting for a term of 2 years. Vermont and bordering New Hampshire are the only states to hold gubernatorial elections every ...

, who served from 1906 to 1908.

Personal life

Proctor was born in

Cavendish, Vermont Cavendish is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The town was likely named after William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire. The population was 1,392 at the 2020 census. The town of Cavendish includes the unincorporated villages of C ...

, on November 7, 1860, the son of Vermont Governor

Redfield Proctor Redfield Proctor (June 1, 1831March 4, 1908) was a U.S. politician of the Republican Party. He served as the 37th governor of Vermont from 1878 to 1880, as Secretary of War from 1889 to 1891, and as a United States Senator for Vermont from 18 ...

and brother of Governor

Redfield Proctor Jr. Redfield Proctor Jr. (April 13, 1879 – February 5, 1957) was an American business executive and politician who served as the 59th governor of Vermont from 1923 to 1925. Life and career The son of Emily Jane (née Dutton) and Redfield Proct ...

He was raised in

Proctor Proctor (a variant of ''procurator'') is a person who takes charge of, or acts for, another. The title is used in England and some other English-speaking countries in three principal contexts: * In law, a proctor is a historical class of lawye ...

, attended

Middlebury College Middlebury College is a private liberal arts college in Middlebury, Vermont. Founded in 1800 by Congregationalists, Middlebury was the first operating college or university in Vermont. The college currently enrolls 2,858 undergraduates from all ...

, and graduated from Amherst College in 1882. He would later receive honorary degrees from the

University of Vermont The University of Vermont (UVM), officially the University of Vermont and State Agricultural College, is a public land-grant research university in Burlington, Vermont. It was founded in 1791 and is among the oldest universities in the United ...

in 1907, Middlebury College in 1908, and

Norwich University Norwich University – The Military College of Vermont is a private senior military college in Northfield, Vermont. It is the oldest private and senior military college in the United States and offers bachelor's and master's degrees on-cam ...

in 1908. He married Minnie E. Robinson on May 26, 1886, and they had three children, Emily Proctor,

Mortimer R. Proctor Mortimer Robinson Proctor (May 30, 1889 – April 28, 1968), known as Mortimer R. Proctor, was an American politician from Vermont. He served as the 62nd lieutenant governor of Vermont from 1941 to 1945, and as the 66th governor of Vermont fro ...

(who later served as governor), and Minnie Proctor.

Career

Proctor was employed at his family's business, Vermont Marble, becoming President in 1889. He also served as President of the Clarendon & Pittsford Railroad and the Proctor Trust Company. In 1883, Proctor was elected head of the Vermont division of the Sons of Veterans with the honorary rank of

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge ...

, and he was often addressed by that title in contemporary newspaper accounts. Proctor enlisted in the

Vermont National Guard The Vermont National Guard is composed of the Vermont Army National Guard and the Vermont Air National Guard. Together, they are collectively known as the Green Mountain Boys. Both units use the original Revolutionary War-era Flag of the Green ...

's Company A, 1st Infantry Regiment in 1884 and was commissioned as a

second lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until 1 ...

. He was promoted to

first lieutenant First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment. The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a ...

and inspector of rifle practice on the regimental staff before resigning in 1887. Proctor served in several local offices, including town selectman and school board member. A Republican, from 1886 to 1888 he was Secretary of Civil and Military Affairs (chief assistant) for Governor

Ebenezer J. Ormsbee Ebenezer Jolls Ormsbee (June 8, 1834 – April 3, 1924), the 41st governor of Vermont, was a Republican Party politician, a teacher, a lawyer and an American Civil War veteran. Early life Ormsbee was born in Shoreham, Vermont, the son of ...

. Proctor was a member of the

Vermont House of Representatives The Vermont House of Representatives is the lower house of the Vermont General Assembly, the State legislature (United States), state legislature of the U.S. state of Vermont. The House comprises 150 members, with each member representing around 4 ...

from 1890 to 1892 and the

Vermont Senate The Vermont Senate is the upper house of the Vermont General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Vermont. The senate consists of 30 members. Senate districting divides the 30 members into three single-member districts, six two-me ...

from 1892 to 1893. He served in the Vermont House again from 1900 to 1902 and 1904 to 1905, and was

Speaker Speaker may refer to: Society and politics * Speaker (politics), the presiding officer in a legislative assembly * Public speaker, one who gives a speech or lecture * A person producing speech: the producer of a given utterance, especially: ** In ...

from 1900 to 1902.

Governor

Elected Elected may refer to: * "Elected" (song), by Alice Cooper, 1973 * ''Elected'' (EP), by Ayreon, 2008 *The Elected, an American indie rock band See also *Election An election is a formal group decision-making process by which a populatio ...

governor in 1906, Proctor served from October 4, 1906 to October 8, 1908. As governor, rejecting his father's fiscal conservatism, he declared that the state had "a higher duty than to live cheaply." Proctor advocated progressive forestry policies, reorganized Vermont's courts and reformed the commission that regulated utilities and railroads. During his term as governor, Proctor's executive clerk was Aaron H. Grout, the son of former Governor

Josiah Grout Josiah Grout Jr. (May 28, 1841July 19, 1925) was an American lawyer and politician in the US state of Vermont. Born in the British Canadian Province of Lower Canada to Vermonter parents, he served in the American Civil War as a Union Army o ...

. As governor, it also fell to Proctor to appoint a temporary replacement to the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and ...

seat left vacant by the death of his father,

. He named former governor and

congressman A Member of Congress (MOC) is a person who has been appointed or elected and inducted into an official body called a congress, typically to represent a particular constituency in a legislature. The term member of parliament (MP) is an equivale ...

John W. Stewart, who served until a special election could be held to fill the remainder of Redfield Proctor's term. Fletcher Proctor was presumed to be prepared to follow in his father's footsteps, but declined to run for the Senate seat, which was won by

Carroll S. Page Carroll Smalley Page (January 10, 1843December 3, 1925) was an American businessman and politician. He served as the 43rd governor of Vermont and a United States senator. A native of Westfield, Vermont, Page was the son of a successful farmer ...

. After completing his term as governor, Proctor returned to Vermont Marble and his other business interests in the town of Proctor.

Death

Proctor died in the town of Proctor on September 27, 1911, after an illness of several weeks. He is interred at South Street Cemetery in Proctor.

References

External links

Political Graveyard
*
The National Cyclopedia of American Biography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Proctor, Fletcher D. 1860 births 1911 deaths People from Cavendish, Vermont People from Proctor, Vermont Amherst College alumni National Guard (United States) officers Republican Party governors of Vermont Speakers of the Vermont House of Representatives Republican Party Vermont state senators Republican Party members of the Vermont House of Representatives Burials in Vermont 19th-century American politicians Vermont National Guard personnel