Mortimer Robinson Proctor (May 30, 1889 – April 28, 1968) was an American politician from

Vermont Vermont () is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, New York (state), New York to the west, and the Provinces and territories of Ca ...

. He served as the 62nd lieutenant governor of Vermont from 1941 to 1945, and as the 66th governor of Vermont from 1945 to 1947.

Biography

Proctor was born in

Proctor, Vermont Proctor is a town in Rutland County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,763 at the 2020 census. Proctor is home to the Vermont Marble Museum and Wilson Castle. History In the early 19th century, small high-quality marble deposit ...

, to

Fletcher Dutton Proctor Fletcher Dutton Proctor (November 7, 1860 – September 27, 1911) was an American businessman, a Republican politician, and the 51st governor of Vermont, who served from 1906 to 1908. Personal life Proctor was born in Cavendish, Vermont, ...

, the fifty-first

Governor of Vermont The governor of Vermont is the head of government of the U.S. state of Vermont. The officeholder is elected in even-numbered years by direct voting for a term of two years. Vermont and bordering New Hampshire are the only states to hold guberna ...

, and Minnie Euretta Robinson Proctor. He studied at

The Hill School The Hill School is a coeducational preparatory boarding school located on a campus in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, about northwest of Philadelphia. The Hill is part of the Ten Schools Admission Organization. The school is accredited by the Mi ...

. He graduated from

Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Stat ...

in 1912. He married first Margaret Cynthia Chisholm on May 30, 1916, in Proctor. He married second Dorothy Chisholm, the sister of his first wife, on March 8, 1924. They divorced. He married third Lillian Washburn Bryan on November 14, 1942, in Proctor. Lillian died in 1961. At the time of his death he was married to Geraldine Gates Proctor.

Career

Proctor was president of the Village of Proctor in 1930, and chairman of the Town of Proctor Republican Committee in 1932. He spent his entire career in the private sector as an executive of the Vermont Marble Company, the family-owned business. He was

president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...

from 1952 to 1958 and

chairman The chair, also chairman, chairwoman, or chairperson, is the presiding officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office, who is typically elected or appointed by members of the gro ...

from 1958 to 1967. Proctor enlisted in the

US Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of the United Stat ...

for

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

in 1917, completed officer training and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 71st Regiment, serving in

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

throughout the war. Proctor represented the town of

in the

Vermont House of Representatives The Vermont House of Representatives is the lower house of the Vermont General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Vermont. The House comprises 150 members, with each member representing around 4,100 citizens. Representatives a ...

from 1933 to 1939 and was Speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives from 1937 to 1939. He served in the

Vermont State 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 elected from multi-member districts. Each senator represents at least 20,300 citizens. ...

from 1939 to 1941, and was

Senate President President of the Senate is a title often given to the presiding officer of a senate. It corresponds to the speaker in some other assemblies. The senate president often ranks high in a jurisdiction's succession for its top executive office: for ...

for his entire term. Mortimer Robinson Proctor

Proctor was

Lieutenant Governor of Vermont The lieutenant governor of Vermont is elected for a two-year term and chosen separately from the Governor of Vermont, governor. The Vermont lieutenant governor's main responsibilities include acting as governor when the governor is out of state o ...

from 1941 to 1945. He was elected

in 1944 and served from 1945 to 1947. During his tenure, the state debt was reduced, state aid to education, old age assistance payments, and teacher's minimum salaries were increased. Proctor ran for reelection in 1946 but lost the Republican Primary to

Ernest W. Gibson Jr. Ernest William Gibson Jr. (March 6, 1901 – November 4, 1969) was an American attorney, politician, and judge. He served briefly as an appointed United States Senator, as the 67th governor of Vermont, and as a federal judge. Born in Brattlebo ...

, the first governor of Vermont to be denied renomination. He returned to private business and established the Mortimer R. Proctor Trust which supports non profit activities in arts, culture, education, and religion in

Death and legacy

Proctor died on April 28, 1968, and is interred at South Street Cemetery,

. Proctor was the grandson of

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 189 ...

, the son of Fletcher D. Proctor, and the nephew of Redfield Proctor Jr., who all previously served as Governor of Vermont. He had one son, Mortimer Robinson Proctor Jr. (1916–1977). He was a president of the

Green Mountain Club The Green Mountain Club is a non-profit membership organization dedicated to preserving and protecting Vermont's Long Trail. The Long Trail is the oldest long-distance hiking trail in America and stretches from the Massachusetts state line to the ...

which built and maintains the

Long Trail The Long Trail is a hiking trail located in Vermont, running the length of the state. It is the oldest long-distance trail in the United States, constructed between 1910 and 1930 by the Green Mountain Club. The club remains the primary organiza ...

, America's first long-distance hiking trail. He provided funds for the state of Vermont to build a steel Aermotor LS-40 fire tower on the summit of

Pico Peak Pico Peak is a mountain in the Green Mountains in Rutland County, Vermont, United States. Pico Peak is flanked to the south by Ramshead Peak. To the north, it faces Deer Leap Mountain across Sherburne Pass. Seen from the pass, the summit of P ...

Published works

*"Pleasant Memories From Public Life, 1932-1952" *"Vermont, The Unspoiled Land"

References

External links