Fred M. Butler

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
From 1899's Book of Biographies of Rutland County, Vermont

Fred M. Butler (May 28, 1854 – December 24, 1932) was a Vermont attorney and judge. He is notable for his service as an Associate Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court from 1923 to 1926.

Early life[]

Fred Mason Butler was born in Jamaica, Vermont on May 28, 1854, the son of Aaron Mason Butler (1815-1886) and Emeline (Muzzy) Butler (d. 1877).[1] He was educated in the public schools of Jamaica, and graduated from Leland and Gray Seminary in Townshend.[1]

Butler had started his legal studies in the Jamaica office of Jonathan G. Eddy while still at Leland & Gray.[1] After graduation, he continued studying law under his uncle in the same Jamaica office that included Hoyt Henry Wheeler and Eleazer L. Waterman.[1] He was admitted to the bar in 1877, after which he moved to Rutland.[1]

Start of career[]

Butler established a law practice in Rutland, first in partnership with Joel C. Baker, then with Lyman W. Redington, and finally with Thomas W. Moloney.[1] From 1906 to 1907, Butler was president of the Vermont Bar Association,[2] and he was succeeded by Alexander Dunnett.[3] He was also involved in several businesses; he was a member of the board of directors of the Baxter National Bank and Rutland Railway Light & Power Company,[1] and was an original incorporator of the State Mutual Fire Insurance Company.[4]

Active in politics and government as a Republican, Butler served as a delegate to numerous city, county, and state party conventions.[1] He also served in local office including grand juror (1882–84), city attorney (1884-89), and judge of the Rutland city court (1889–95).[1] In 1908 he was elected to the Vermont Senate.[5]

Butler was an active leader of the Baptist church.[6] He was a member of First Baptist Church in Rutland, and served as president of the state Baptist convention from 1909 to 1910.[6]

Judicial career[]

In 1908, the Vermont General Assembly enacted a law expanding the Vermont Supreme Court from four justices to five.[7] The appointment as an associate justice went to George M. Powers, who was serving as a judge of the Vermont Superior Court, and had been an associate justice prior to the passage of a previous law reducing the size of the state Supreme Court.[7] Butler was selected for the resulting vacancy on the Vermont Superior Court, and resigned from the State Senate in January 1909 in order to accept.[8][9] He continued to serve on this court until 1923.[10] From 1921 to 1923, Butler served as chief judge, having succeeded Zed S. Stanton.[10][11]

In 1923, associate justice Willard W. Miles retired from the state Supreme Court.[10] Butler was appointed to fill the vacancy, and he served until 1926, when he retired.[10][12] He was succeeded by Sherman R. Moulton.[13]

Retirement and death[]

Butler died in Rutland on December 24, 1932.[14][15] He was buried at Evergreen Cemetery in Rutland.[16]

Family[]

In 1875, Butler married Lillian Harriet Holton (1852-1935), a resident of Bangor, New York.[17][18] They were the parents of three daughters: Anza Lillian (1876-1933) was the wife of Wallace W. Nichols of Rutland;[19] Helen Maria (1885-1981), the wife of John A. Barney of Rutland;[20][21] and Florence Muzzy (1892-1973), the wife of Leon E. Ellsworth of Enosburg Falls and Roy S. Woodward of Waterville.[1][22][23] A son was born in 1879 and died in 1880.[24] Another son, Aaron Mason Butler, was born and died in 1891.[25]

Butler's siblings included Edgar M. Butler (1857-1928), who served as a member of the Vermont Senate.[26][27]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Genealogical and Family History of the State of Vermont, p. 670.
  2. ^ "Past Presidents of the Vermont Bar Association".
  3. ^ "Demise of Alexander Dunnett". The Evening Argus. Montpelier, VT. September 15, 1920. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ Acts and Resolves Passed by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont, p. 348.
  5. ^ Journal of the Senate of the State of Vermont, p. 4.
  6. ^ a b Encyclopedia, Vermont Biography, p. 91.
  7. ^ a b Encyclopedia, Vermont Biography, p. 89.
  8. ^ Journal of the Senate of the State of Vermont, p. 561.
  9. ^ "Butler Elected Judge on the 15th Ballot", p. 2.
  10. ^ a b c d "Judge Butler is Elected to Supreme Bench", pp. 1, 2.
  11. ^ "Julius Willcox Appointed Judge", p. 6.
  12. ^ "Judge Butler to Leave Bench", p. 2.
  13. ^ "Moulton Now on Supreme Bench", p. 1.
  14. ^ "Vermont Death Records, 1909-2008, Entry for Fred Mason Butler".
  15. ^ "Judge Butler Buried", p. 2.
  16. ^ "Vermont Vital Records, 1720-1908, Marriage Record for Fred M. Butler and Lillian H. Holton".
  17. ^ "Vermont Death Records, 1909-2008, Entry for Lillian Harriet Holton Butler".
  18. ^ "Vermont Death Records, 1909-2008, Entry for Mrs. Anza Nichols".
  19. ^ "Vermont Vital Records, 1909-2008, Marriage Record for Helen Maria Butler and John Amherst Barney".
  20. ^ "Vermont Death Records, 1909-2008, Entry for Helen Maria Butler Barney".
  21. ^ "Vermont Vital Records, 1909-2008, Marriage Record for Florence Muzzy Butler and Leon Edgar Ellsworth".
  22. ^ "Vermont Death Records, 1909-2008, Entry for Florence E. Woodward".
  23. ^ "Vermont Vital Records, 1720-1908, Death Record for Unnamed Son of Fred M. Butler and Lillian H. Holton".
  24. ^ "Rutland Matters: Fred M. Butler", p. 2.
  25. ^ "Five Ballots on Sheriff", p. 9.
  26. ^ New England Families, Genealogical and Memorial, p. 974.

Sources[]

Newspapers[]

Books[]

Internet[]

Political offices
Preceded by Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court
1923–1926 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from ""