John H. Senter
John H. Senter | |
---|---|
![]() From 1894's Men of Vermont Illustrated | |
Member of the Vermont House of Representatives from Montpelier | |
In office 1906–1907 | |
Preceded by | George O. Stratton |
Succeeded by | Frank A. Howes |
State's Attorney for Washington County, Vermont | |
In office 1903–1904 | |
Preceded by | Frank A. Bailey |
Succeeded by | Hollister Jackson |
Mayor of Montpelier, Vermont | |
In office 1898–1900 | |
Preceded by | George H. Guernsey |
Succeeded by | Joseph G. Brown |
President of the Vermont Bar Association | |
In office 1902–1903 | |
Preceded by | John Young |
Succeeded by | Wilder L. Burnap |
United States Attorney for the District of Vermont | |
In office 1894–1898 | |
Preceded by | Frank Plumley |
Succeeded by | James Loren Martin |
Personal details | |
Born | Cabot, Vermont | November 11, 1848
Died | January 20, 1916 Montpelier, Vermont | (aged 67)
Resting place | Green Mount Cemetery, Montpelier, Vermont |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse(s) | Addie G. Martin, m. 1875 |
Children | 5 |
Profession | Attorney |
John H. Senter (November 11, 1848 – January 20, 1916) was a Vermont attorney and politician. He is most notable for his service as United States Attorney for the District of Vermont (1894–1898) and Mayor of Montpelier (1898–1900).
Early life[]
John Henry Senter was born in Cabot, Vermont on November 11, 1848, the son of Dearborn Bean Senter and Susan C. (Lyford) Senter.[1] He was raised in East Montpelier, Vermont and Concord, New Hampshire. Senter graduated from high school in Concord, and received his qualification as a school teacher.[1] He taught at schools in Dover, New Hampshire, Garland, Maine and locations throughout Vermont.[1] In the mid-1870s, Senter settled in Montpelier, where he clerked in several stores while studying law with Clarence H. Pitkin.[1] He was admitted to the bar in 1879, and began a practice in Warren, Vermont.[1]
In 1885, Senter moved to Montpelier, where he practiced law in partnership with Harlan W. Kemp, while they simultaneously operated an insurance brokerage.[1] Senter served as secretary of the Union Mutual Fire Insurance Company, while Kemp was treasurer.[1] While living in Warren, he served as the town's school superintendent.[1] After settling permanently in Montpelier, he served as the village attorney and secretary of the village's board of trade.[1]
Party politics[]
Senter was a Democrat in an era when the Republican Party dominated Vermont, including a streak of winning every statewide election from the 1850s to the 1960s. Senter had a long career in Democratic Party politics, and despite party affiliation, he served in numerous elective and appointive offices.[1] He served as assistant secretary or secretary of the Vermont Democratic Party for more than 20 years, and was a delegate to the 1888 Democratic National Convention.[1] He served as chairman of the Vermont Democratic Party, and was succeeded by Emory S. Harris in 1900.[2] From 1900 to 1904, Senter represented Vermont on the Democratic National Committee.[1] In 1900, he was the Democratic nominee for Governor of Vermont.[1] In the 1904 election for U.S. Senator, Senter received the courtesy votes of Democrats in the Vermont General Assembly, while Republican Redfield Proctor was easily reelected.[3]
Local official[]
Even though he was a Democrat, in the 1880s and 1890s, Senter was habitually chosen for nonpartisan local positions.[1] He was the chairman of Montpelier's village caucus, and he served as a justice of the peace, school superintendent, and in other local offices.[1] Montpelier was incorporated as a city in 1895, and Senter served as mayor from 1898 to 1900.[1]
County and state official[]
Senter served on the state Tax Commission from 1896 to 1897, and during the same period he served on the commission that oversaw planning for and construction of a new county jail.[1] From 1903 to 1904, Senter served as State's Attorney for Washington County.[1] From 1906 to 1907, he represented Montpelier in the Vermont House of Representatives, and he served as chairman of the House Committee on Corporations.[1]
Federal official[]
During the first administration of Grover Cleveland (1885-1889), Senter served as a federal bank examiner for Vermont.[1] In 1886, he was appointed a commissioner of the United States Circuit Court that included the Vermont district.[1]
In 1894, Senter was appointed United States Attorney for the District of Vermont, succeeding Frank Plumley.[4] He served until 1898, when he was succeeded by James Loren Martin.[5]
Civic and fraternal memberships[]
Senter was a longtime member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and was active in the local Montpelier organization.[6] In addition, he was a member of the Elks, Masons, Knights Templar, and Shriners.[1] Senter served as president of the Vermont Bar Association from 1902 to 1903.[1]
Death and burial[]
Near the end of his life, Senter moved his law practice to Waterbury while continuing to reside in Montpelier.[1] In 1915, he was treated for several times for angina.[1] He suffered a fatal heart attack and died at his apartment in Montpelier on January 20, 1916.[1] Senter was buried at Green Mount Cemetery in Montpelier.[7]
Family[]
In 1875, Senter married Addie G. Martin.[1] They were the parents of five children, including Frank, Clarence, Mabel, John Jr., and Clara.[1]
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab "John H. Senter Dropped Dead", p. 1.
- ^ Dodge.
- ^ "Senator Proctor Re-Elected".
- ^ "John H. Senter will Succeed Mr. Plumley", p. 2.
- ^ "His Appointment Delayed", p. 4.
- ^ Men of Vermont Illustrated, p. 353.
- ^ "Funeral of Mr. Senter", p. 2.
Sources[]
Newspapers[]
- "John H. Senter Will Succeed Mr. Plumley". Burlington Clipper. Burlington, VT. January 12, 1894 – via Newspapers.com.
- "His Appointment Delayed: Martin Is In Washington to See About It". Montpelier Evening Argus. Montpelier, VT. January 10, 1898 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Senator Proctor Re-Elected" (PDF). The New York Times. New York, NY. October 19, 1904.
- "John H. Senter Dropped Dead". Barre Daily Times. Barre, VT. January 21, 1916 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Funeral of Mr. Senter". Montpelier Evening Argus. Montpelier, VT. January 24, 1916 – via Newspapers.com.
Books[]
- Dodge, Prentiss Cutler (1912). Encyclopedia of Vermont Biography. Burlington, VT: Ullery Publishing Company. p. 213 – via Google Books.
- Ullery, Jacob G. (1894). Men of Vermont Illustrated. Brattleboro, VT: Transcript Publishing Company.
- 1848 births
- 1916 deaths
- People from Montpelier, Vermont
- Vermont Democrats
- Vermont lawyers
- State's attorneys in Vermont
- United States Attorneys for the District of Vermont
- Members of the Vermont House of Representatives
- Mayors of Montpelier, Vermont
- Burials in Vermont
- 19th-century American lawyers