Washington

PLUMLEY, Frank

1st Biography of Frank PLUMLEY

Men of Vermont: Illustrated Biographical History of Vermonters & Sons of 
Vermont. Ullery. Brattleboro: Transcript Publishing Company, 1894, pp 319-320 
(portrait p 320)

Frank PLUMLEY, of Northfield [Washington County, Vermont], was born 17 
December 1844 in Eden [Lamoille County, Vermont]. Reared upon a farm and 
educated in the common schools of the town and the People's Academy, of 
Morrisville [Lamoille County], he adopted for a time the profession of a 
teacher, but in 1866 commenced the study of law with Powers & Gleed, at 
Morrisville, and a year after entered the law department of the University of 
Michigan, Ann Arbor [Washtenaw County], where he also pursued a selected 
course of study in the literary department. After three years of 
professional training he was admitted to the bar at the May term of the 
Lamoille County court, 1869, and afterwards came to Northfield, and entered 
the office of Hon. Heman CARPENTER. The firm of Carpenter & Plumley, formed 
in 1870, was dissolved by mutual consent in 1876. Mr. PLUMLEY has attained a 
leading position at the bar; was state's attorney from 1876 to 1880, 
inclusive, and among his important cases were the CARR and MEEKER murder 
trials; was appointed in 1889 by President HARRISON, United State's attorney 
for Vermont.

He is now serving his fourth consecutive term of three years each, as a 
member of the board of directors of the Northfield graded and high schools, 
of which body he is chairman, and for several years filled the same position 
on the board of village trustees; is also a trustee of Norwich University, 
and a trustee of the Northfield Savings Bank. Is a member of the Methodist 
Episcopal Church and for twelve years has been superintendent of the Sunday 
school. An ardent temperance man; elected representative from Northfield to 
the Legislature in 1882, served on the judiciary committee and on that on the 
insane; was chairman of the Republican state convention in 1886, and was 
appointed one of the delegates from Vermont to the anti-saloon conference, 
held in New York in the spring of 1888, and was a member of the committee on 
the platform; was the author of the resolution presented to that committee 
pledging the cordial sympathy and moral support of the national Republican 
party to all well-directed efforts to temperance reform, which was presented 
on the floor of the convention by Mr. BOUTELLE of Maine and adopted with 
slight verbal alterations. Mr. PLUMLEY has a national reputation as an 
interesting and effective campaign orator; in the struggle of 1884 was sent to 
Michigan by the national committee, to which state he has been recalled at 
each successive state and national campaign since that time.

He served four terms as Worshipful Master of DeWitt Clinton Lodge No. 15, 
Free & Accepted Masons; member of Northfield Lodge No. 19, Independent Order 
of Odd Fellows, and of Northfield Lodge No. 175, Independent Order of Good 
Templars, and was the first and present W. C. [Worthy Chief] of Northfield 
Lodge, which contains two hundred and forty members. For five years was 
grand secretary of the Grand Lodge I. O. G. T., and representative from that 
body to the Right Worthy Grand Lodge of the World at its New York and Topeka 
sessions. For three successive years has been grand chief templar in the 
state. Mr. PLUMLEY is a lecturer on constitutional law at Norwich 
University, which institution conferred upon him the degree of A. M. at its 
commencement in 1892.On 09 August 1871 he [Frank PLUMLEY] married Lavinia L., 
daughter of Hiram and Mary (SMITH) FLETCHER of Eden [Lamoille County, 
Vermont]; they have two children: Charles Albert and Theodora May. [Note 
the second biography gives two male names for the children.]



2nd Biography of Frank PLUMLEY

Genealogical and Family History of the State of Vermont: A Record of the 
Achievements of Her People in the Making of a Commonwealth and the Founding 
of a Nation. Carleton, ed. Chicago: Lewis, 1903, pp 472-473

Frank PLUMLEY, of Northfield [Washington County, Vermont], an orator of 
national reputation and a man who has rendered to his community signally 
useful services in various public capacities, was born 17 December 1844 in 
Eden [Lamoille County], Vermont. Reared upon a farm; began his education in 
the commons schools of the neighborhood; supplemented by a course in the 
People's Academy, Morrisville [Lamoille County]. For a short time he taught 
school; entered upon the study of law under the preceptorship of Powers & 
Gleed, at Morrisville. After a year entered the law department at the 
University of Michigan, and at the same time pursuing a selected course in 
the literary department of that institution. Admitted to the bar before the 
Lamoille County court in 1869. Since that time, with the exception of about 
three years, has practiced alone, caring for the interests of a large and 
influential clientage with great capability and success. For four yeas 
beginning in 1876 was state's attorney; prosecuted the notable CAARR and 
MEAKER [spelled differently than in the first biography] murder cases. In 
1889 appointed United States attorney for the district of Vermont, by 
President HARRISON.

Has been connected with many of the most noted cases of the state, especially 
with the important litigation in the central portion of the state, having 
prosecuted in the MARSH and BUZZELL murder trial, the MILLS, and others, and 
SEAVER incendiary trials, in all of which conviction was secured; also 
defended successfully in the exciting WALES arson case, in the trial of 
Mildred BREWSTER, charged with murder; in the DOHERTY case, in which latter 
conviction was secured, the case carried to the United States supreme court, 
and the commutation of DOHERTY's sentence finally secured from the 
legislature of 1902, at which time Mr. PLUMLEY made an argument for 
commutation before the general assembly which was regarded as a masterpiece 
of eloquence and power; he also was assigned by the state to defend in the 
celebrated SPOTTER case and secured the acquittal of Mr. WILSON after a 
hard-fought trial in Windsor County.

In 1884 was appointed lecturer on constitutional law at Norwich University, 
of which institution he was made a trustee in 1888 and from which institution 
he received the honorary degree of A. M. in 1892. Has been for many years 
prominent in the counsels of the Republican party and an interesting and 
efficient campaign orator. In 1884 sent by the national committee to take 
the stump in Michigan; became such a favorite he has been recalled to that 
state in every succeeding national campaign. Was chairman of the state 
convention if 1886, and that body, in recognition of his vigor in maintenance 
of temperance, appointed him a delegate to the anti-saloon conference held in 
New York city early in 1888; the same year delegate-at-large to the 
Republican national convention, which nominated General HARRISON for the 
presidency, and he [Mr. PLUMLEY] occupied a prominent place in that body. 
Was a member of the committee to which drafted the platform; was author of 
the resolution pledging sympathy and support of the party to all 
well-directed efforts looking to temperance reform, adopted by the convention 
with some minor changes.

Mr. PLUMLEY has given much attention to the promotion of education; has 
served for more than twenty-one years continuously upon the Northfield board 
of education; for several years has been chairman of that body; in 1882 
elected to the state legislature as representative from Northfield; served on 
the judiciary committee and the committee on the insane, taking high rank as 
a debater and being recognized as one of the leaders; served as senator from 
Washington County in the state legislature of 1894, his own town giving him 
the largest majority ever given to any resident candidate; elected president 
pro tem of the senate; served a as a member of the judiciary committee and 
the committee on rules.

Methodist. Was for more than twelve years superintendent of the Sunday 
school connected with the church of which he is a member; has been 
prominently identified with all temperance work; has been a member of the 
Independent Order of Good Templars during the greater part of his life; was 
the first worthy chief Templar of Northfield Lodge, at that time about two 
hundred and fifty members; for five years was grand secretary of the Grand 
Lodge and was a representative from that body to the Right Worthy Grand Lodge 
of the World at its session in New York City and at Topeka, Kansas, and was 
for three years consecutively the grand chief of Templar of Vermont. Member 
of DeWitt Clinton Lodge No. 15, Free & Accepted Masons, over which he 
presided as master for four years; also a member of Northfield Lodge No. 19, 
Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

In 1900 Mr. PLUMLEY was one of the leading competitors for the nomination as 
representative to Congress from the second congressional district and in the 
convention polled nearly as many votes as his opponent, but withdrew for the 
sake of party harmony. In 1902 was appointed first associate member of the 
court of claims, by Governor John G. McCULLOUGH. On 09 August 1871 he [Frank 
PLUMLEY] married [Miss] Lavinia L. FLETCHER, of Eden [Lamoille County, 
Vermont]; and to them two children have been born: Charles A. and Theodore 
M. [Note the first biography indicates the children were a son and a 
daughter.]

Submitted by Cathy Kubly