Washington

DILLINGHAM, William Paul

Men of Vermont: Illustrated Biographical History of Vermonters & Sons of 
Vermont. Ullery. Brattleboro: Transcript Publishing Company, 1894, p 106 
(portrait p 106)

William Paul DILLINGHAM, was born 12 December 1843 in Waterbury [Washington 
County, Vermont], third son of Paul and Julia (CARPENTER) DILLINGHAM. His 
great grandfather, John DILLINGHAM, was killed at Quebec while serving under 
WOLFE, and his grandfather, Paul DILLINGHAM, served three years in the 
Revolution, and settled in Waterbury in 1805. William, after attending the 
common schools, went to Newbury Seminary [Orange County, Vermont]] and to 
Kimball Union Academy at Meriden [Sullivan County], New Hampshire. He read 
law with his brother-in-law, Matt H. CARPENTER, in Milwaukee [Milwaukee 
County, Wisconsin], from 1864 to 1866, and then with his father, Gov. Paul 
DILLINGHAM, at Waterbury; admitted to the bar at September term, 1867, 
Washington County [Vermont] court.

He was in 1866 appointed secretary of civil and military affairs to fill a 
vacancy occasioned by the resignation of Charles M. GAY, Esq., and again 
secretary of civil and military affairs during the administration of Gov. 
Asahel PECK, 1874-1876. Mr. DILLINGHAM was elected state's attorney for 
Washington County in 1872; re-elected 1874. The trial of MAGOON for the 
murder of STREETER, and that of MILES for the Barre bank robbery, both of 
which resulted in conviction, were events in his time as prosecuting officer 
that attracted much public attention, but they represented but a small part 
of his labors, for the docket was then crowded with criminal cases. He 
represented Waterbury in the House in 1876 and 1884; was senator from 
Washington County in 1878 and 1880; in 1882 was appointed commissioner of 
state taxes under the new tax law of that year; held the office of 
commissioner six years; in 1888 the Republican candidate for Governor, he did 
effective work as a campaign speaker for HARRISON and MORTON, and was elected 
Governor by the largest majority ever given in the state to a candidate for 
that position.

Has practiced law since his admission to the bar; was until his father 
retired a member of the firm of P. Dillingham & Son, and thereafter for some 
years in practice alone. Upon the expiration of his term as Governor in 
October 1890, the partnership of Dillingham & Huse was formed. In 1892 Fred 
A. HOWLAND became a member of the firm which is now Dillingham, Huse & 
Howland. Methodist; was a lay delegate from Vermont to the General 
Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Omaha in 1893; is president 
of board of trustees of the Vermont Methodist Seminary. On 24 December 1874 
Mr. [William Paul] DILLINGHAM married [Miss] Mary E. SHIPMAN, daughter of 
Rev. Isaiah H. and Charlotte R. SHIPMAN, of Lisbon [Grafton County], New 
Hampshire; they have one son, Paul Shipman, born 27 October 1878.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly