Charles Linsley (August 29, 1795 – November 3, 1863) 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 ...

lawyer and politician. The son-in-law of Daniel Chipman, he was notable for his service as

United States Attorney United States attorneys are officials of the U.S. Department of Justice who serve as the chief federal law enforcement officers in each of the 94 U.S. federal judicial districts. Each U.S. attorney serves as the United States' chief federal ...

for the District of Vermont (1845-1849), 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 ...

(1858-1859), and U.S. Collector of Customs for Vermont (1860-1861).

Early life

Charles Linsley 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 August 29, 1795. He was the son of

American Revolution The American Revolution (1765–1783) was a colonial rebellion and war of independence in which the Thirteen Colonies broke from British America, British rule to form the United States of America. The revolution culminated in the American ...

veteran Judge Joel Linsley and Levina (Gilbert) Linsley, and he was raised and educated in

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 ...

. Initially trained for a mercantile career, he decided to become an attorney and studied law with his father and Daniel Chipman in Middlebury, afterwards continuing his studies under

Stephen Royce Stephen Royce (August 12, 1787November 11, 1868) was an American lawyer, judge and politician. Originally a Democratic-Republican, and later a Whig, he became a Republican when the party was formed in the mid-1850s. Royce served as an associat ...

St. Albans St Albans () is a cathedral city in Hertfordshire, England, east of Hemel Hempstead and west of Hatfield, north-west of London, south-west of Welwyn Garden City and south-east of Luton. St Albans was the first major town on the old Roman r ...

. He was

admitted to the bar An admission to practice law is acquired when a lawyer receives a license to practice law. In jurisdictions with two types of lawyer, as with barristers and solicitors, barristers must gain admission to the bar whereas for solicitors there are dist ...

in 1823, and established a successful practice in Middlebury.

Career

In addition to practicing law, Linsley was active in business, politics and government. He served in several local offices, including justice of the peace and commissioner of jail delivery. (The commissioners of jail delivery were responsible for keeping track of sentences and releasing prisoners at their completion. They also ensured that individuals on parole or probation complied with the terms of their sentences.) A

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (Cyprus) (DCY) **Democratic Part ...

, he campaigned for Congress as opposition to slavery was becoming the dominant issue in Vermont politics, which enabled the rise of first the

Anti-Masonic Party The Anti-Masonic Party was the earliest Third party (United States), third party in the United States. Formally a Single-issue politics, single-issue party, it strongly opposed Freemasonry in the United States. It was active from the late 1820s, ...

, then the Whigs, and then the

Republicans Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

. Linsley was the Democratic nominee for the U.S. House of Representatives from Vermont's 2nd District in 1833, 1838, and 1840, and lost each time to incumbent William Slade. from 1845 to 1849, Linsley served as

for the District of Vermont, succeeding Charles Davis and preceding Abel Underwood. He served for several years as counsel and board of directors member for the

Rutland and Burlington Railroad The Rutland Railroad was a railroad in the northeastern United States, located primarily in the state of Vermont but extending into the state of New York at both its northernmost and southernmost ends. After its closure in 1961, parts of the ...

. When the

state legislature A state legislature is a Legislature, legislative branch or body of a State (country subdivision), political subdivision in a Federalism, federal system. Two federations literally use the term "state legislature": * The legislative branches of ...

created the position of state railroad commissioner in 1855 to regulate railway construction, maintenance and operations, Linsley was the first person appointed to the position, and he served until 1857, when he was succeeded by

George Perkins Marsh George Perkins Marsh (March 15, 1801July 23, 1882), an American diplomat and philologist, is considered by some to be America's first environmentalist and by recognizing the irreversible impact of man's actions on the earth, a precursor to the s ...

. Linsley's other business interests included serving as a director of the Champlain and Connecticut River Railroad, the Middlebury Savings Bank, and the Middlebury Hotel Company. In 1856, Linsley moved to

Rutland Rutland is a ceremonial county in the East Midlands of England. It borders Leicestershire to the north and west, Lincolnshire to the north-east, and Northamptonshire to the south-west. Oakham is the largest town and county town. Rutland has a ...

to practice law in partnership with John Prout, and in 1858 he served as Rutland's member of the

. From 1860 to 1861 he served as the U.S. Collector of Customs for Vermont. Linsley returned to Middlebury in 1862. During the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

, he was initially a pro- Union Democrat and a strong opponent of secession, which led him to join the Republican Party in 1862.

Honors

In 1835, Linsley received the

honorary degree An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or '' ad hon ...

Master of Arts A Master of Arts ( or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA or AM) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Those admitted to the degree have ...

from

Middlebury College Middlebury College is a Private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Middlebury, Vermont, United States. Founded in 1800 by Congregationalism in the United States, Congregationalists, Middlebury w ...

Death and burial

During the final two years of his life, Linsley suffered from ill health. He died in Middlebury on November 3, 1863 and was buried at Middlebury Cemetery in Middlebury.

Family

In 1827, Linsley married Sarah Chipman (1806-1841), the daughter of Daniel Chipman. They were the parents of

Daniel Daniel commonly refers to: * Daniel (given name), a masculine given name and a surname * List of people named Daniel * List of people with surname Daniel * Daniel (biblical figure) * Book of Daniel, a biblical apocalypse, "an account of the acti ...

(1827-1889), Sarah (1828-1854), Charles (1831-1853), George (1833-1889), Susan (1835-1835), Edward (1837-1841), Eliza (1838-1861), and Emma (1840-1854). Linsley married Emmeline Wells in 1841. Their children included David (1842-1842), Mary (b. 1844), Emmeline (1845-1858), Joel (1847-1899), John Gilbert (1849-1851), William (1851-1910), Hellena (1854-1857), Julius Gilbert (1856-1930), and Richard (1859-1860). Charles Linsley's siblings included Joel H. Linsley, a prominent clergyman who served as president of

Marietta College Marietta College (MC) is a private liberal arts college in Marietta, Ohio, United States. Its campus encompasses approximately six city blocks next to downtown Marietta and enrolls 1,200 students. History Marietta College began as the Muskin ...

References

Sources

Internet

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Books

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Newspapers

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Linsley, Charles 1795 births 1863 deaths People from Cornwall, Vermont People from Middlebury, Vermont People from Rutland (city), Vermont Vermont Democrats Vermont Republicans Vermont lawyers United States attorneys for the District of Vermont 19th-century American lawyers