Abram William Foote (October 24, 1862 – May 14, 1941) was a

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 ...

businessman and politician. He served as the 53rd lieutenant governor of Vermont from 1921 to 1923.

Early life

Abram William Foote was born in

Cornwall, Vermont Cornwall is a New England town, town in Addison County, Vermont, United States. It was founded November 3, 1761. The population was 1,207 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. Geography Cornwall is located in south-central Addison Count ...

, on October 24, 1862. He was educated in Middlebury, and went to Middlebury Union High School.

Business career

Foote was a farmer and businessman, with interests in banking, insurance and other companies. He organized the Cornwall Telephone Company and built the first line from

Addison County Addison County is a County (United States), county located in the U.S. state of Vermont. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 37,363. Its shire town (county seat) is the town of Middlebury (town), Vermont, Middle ...

to Burlington, a venture he later sold to New England Telephone. In 1908, he organized the Rutland County Telephone Company, of which he served as General Manager.

Political career

A Republican, he served in several local offices in Cornwall and 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 of the U.S. state of Vermont. The House comprises 150 members, with each member representing around 4,100 citizens. Representatives a ...

from 1900 to 1902. Foote was elected Addison County

Assistant Judge Side judge, or assistant judge, is a judicial position unique to the U.S. state of Vermont. There are two side judges in each of Vermont's 14 counties. Like lay judges, side judges are usually not legal professionals. Duties and responsibilities ...

in 1902, and reelected in 1904. He again won election to the Vermont House in 1914, serving one term. Foote won election to the

Vermont Senate The Vermont Senate is the upper house of the Vermont General Assembly, the State legislature (United States), state legislature of the U.S. state of Vermont. The senate consists of 30 members elected from multi-member districts. Each senator repre ...

in 1916, serving from 1917 to 1919. In 1920, he was elected Lieutenant Governor and served from 1921 to 1923. In 1922, Foote ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for

governor A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...

, losing to Redfield Proctor Jr. Foote served in the Vermont House of Representatives again from 1931 to 1933. Foote was a delegate to the

1928 Republican National Convention The 1928 Republican National Convention was held at Convention Hall in Kansas City, Missouri, from June 12 to June 15, 1928. Because President Calvin Coolidge had announced unexpectedly he would not run for re-election in 1928, Commerce Sec ...

Death and legacy

Foote died in

Middlebury, Vermont Middlebury is the shire town (county seat) of Addison County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 9,152. Middlebury is home to Middlebury College and the Henry Sheldon Museum of Vermont History and the adjacent ...

on May 14, 1941, and was buried in West Cornwall's Evergreen Cemetery. He was the grandfather of Ralph A. Foote, who served as Lieutenant Governor from 1961 to 1965.Newspaper article, Miss Judith E. Foote Becomes Bride of William G. Hermann, Bennington Banner, July 31, 1956

Published works

*
The Foote Family, Comprising The Genealogy and History of Nathaniel Foote Of Weathersfield, Conn. And His Descendants
', Marble City Press, The Tuttle Co., Volume 1, 1907

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Foote, Abram W. 1862 births 1941 deaths People from Cornwall, Vermont Lieutenant governors of Vermont Republican Party Vermont state senators Republican Party members of the Vermont House of Representatives Vermont state court judges Businesspeople from Vermont 20th-century members of the Vermont General Assembly