Frederick G. Fleetwood

Frederick Gleed Fleetwood (September 27, 1868 – January 28, 1938) was an American lawyer and politician from Vermont. He was most notable for his service as Secretary of State of Vermont (1902–1908, 1917–1919) and a U.S. Representative (1923–1925).

Frederick G. Fleetwood
Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division
Member of the United States House of Representatives from Vermont's 1st district
In office
March 4, 1923 – March 3, 1925
Preceded byFrank L. Greene
Succeeded byElbert S. Brigham
Secretary of State of Vermont
In office
1917–1919
GovernorHorace F. Graham
Preceded byGuy W. Bailey
Succeeded byHarry A. Black
In office
1902–1908
Preceded byFred A. Howland
Succeeded byGuy W. Bailey
Member of the Vermont House of Representatives from Morristown
In office
1900–1902
Preceded byGeorge Henry Terrill
Succeeded byCharles H. A. Stafford
State's Attorney of Lamoille County, Vermont
In office
1896–1898
Preceded byRoger W. Hulburd
Succeeded byLevi J. Thompson
Personal details
Born(1868-09-27)September 27, 1868
St. Johnsbury, Vermont, U.S.
DiedJanuary 28, 1938(1938-01-28) (aged 69)
Morrisville, Vermont, U.S.
Resting placePleasant View Cemetery, Morrisville, Vermont
Political partyRepublican
SpouseRuth Louise Slocum (m. 1929)
Alma materUniversity of Vermont (attended)
Harvard College (BA, 1891)
ProfessionAttorney

A Republican, Fleetwood served in local offices including town clerk and treasurer of Morristown. He served as State's Attorney of Lamoille County from 1896 to 1898 and a member of the Vermont House of Representatives from 1900 to 1902. He was Vermont's secretary of state from 1902 to 1909 and again from 1917 to 1919. Fleetwood served one term in the U.S. House, 1923 to 1925. He died in Morrisville on January 28, 1938, and was buried at Morrisville's Pleasant View Cemetery.

Early life and education

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Fleetwood was born in St. Johnsbury, Vermont on September 27, 1868, the son of Henry W. Fleetwood and Laura Kenney Fleetwood.[1] He attended the common schools of St. Johnsbury, and graduated from St. Johnsbury Academy in 1886.[2]

After his high school graduation, Fleetwood attended the University of Vermont from 1886 to 1888, where he became a member of the Sigma Phi fraternity.[3] He then transferred to Harvard College, from which he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1891.[4] He then enrolled at Harvard College, from which he graduated in 1891. He studied law, attained admission to the bar in 1894, and practiced in Morrisville, Vermont as the partner of Phillip K. Gleed, who was his stepfather.

Career

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Fleetwood served as secretary of the Commission on Revision of Vermont Statutes from 1893 until 1894.[5] He studied law with his stepfather, Phillip K. Gleed, was admitted to the bar in 1894, and began the practice of law in Morrisville, Vermont as Gleed's partner.[1] Fleetwood served as State's Attorney for Lamoille County from 1896 until 1898.[6] He was elected town clerk and treasurer of Morristown, serving from 1896 until 1900.[7] Fleetwood was active in several fraternal organizations, including the Freemasons, Knights of Pythias, and the Grange.[8]

Fleetwood served as a member of the Vermont House of Representatives from 1900 until 1902.[2] During his term, he was chair of the committee on Temperance and a member of the Judiciary Committee.[9] He was one of the presidential electors from Vermont in 1900, and was the elector designated to carry Vermont's votes to the U.S. Capitol for tabulation.[1] Fleetwood was Secretary of the State of Vermont and a member of the state board of insurance commissioners from 1902 until 1908.[10] In 1904, Fleetwood was second vice president of the state commissioners that oversaw Vermont's exhibit at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition.[11]

From 1910 until 1913 he served as a director of the St. Johnsbury and Lake Champlain Railroad.[12][13] In August 1917, Guy W. Bailey resigned as secretary of state; Fleetwood was appointed to succeed him and served until January 1919.[2]

U.S. Representative

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In 1922, Fleetwood was elected to the 68th Congress as a Republican, and he served one term, March 4, 1923 to March 3, 1925.[2] In early December 1923, he was in Washington, D.C. to attend his first congressional session when he was struck by a delivery truck while crossing a street near the U.S. Capitol.[14] He sustained a concussion and other injuries, and was hospitalized for a week.[14]

Fleetwood's committee assignments included Education, Insular Affairs, Invalid Pensions, and Public Lands.[15] During his congressional term, Fleetwood devoted effort to local concerns, including advocating for American Civil War pensions for widows of Union Army veterans and compensation to Vermonters for property lost during the training and equipping of troops for World War I.[16] In addition, he advocated for construction of a new post office and federal office building for Rutland.[17] According to contemporary press accounts, Fleetwood did not find travel to Washington and back and the routine of a representative to his liking, and he announced in May 1924 that he would not be a candidate for renomination.[2][18]

Later life

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After leaving Congress, Fleetwood resumed the practice of law and took part in business and civic activities, including serving on the board of directors of Morrisville's Union Savings Bank and Trust Company.[2][19] In addition, he was a vice president and director of Morrisville's Citizen's Telephone Company.[20] Among the prospective students who studied law in his office was Harold C. Sylvester, who later served on the Vermont Supreme Court.[21][22]

In 1929, Fleetwood married Ruth Louise Slocum (1887–1962).[23][24] They were married until his death, and had no children.[24]

In January 1938, Fleetwood was hospitalized with pneumonia.[25] He died in Morrisville on January 28.[25] Fleetwood was buried at Pleasant View Cemetery in Morrisville.[25]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Carleton, Hiram (1998). Genealogical and Family History of the State of Vermont. Genealogical Publishing Com. p. 705. ISBN 9780806347943.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Joint Committee on Printing, U.S. Congress (2005). Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774-2005. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 1061. ISBN 9780160731761.
  3. ^ Sigma Phi Fraternity (1891). Catalogue of the Sigma Phi. Boston, MA: T. R. Marvin & Son. p. 427 – via Google Books.
  4. ^ Garceau, Arthur J, Class Secretary (1906). "Harvard College Class of 1891". Secretary's Report, Harvard College, Class of 1891. Boston, MA: Rockwell & Churchill. p. 12 – via Google Books.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ Vermont. Office of Secretary of State (1900). Vermont Legislative Directory. Rand, Avery. p. 422.
  6. ^ The Standard, Volume 51. Standard Publishing. 1903. p. 495.
  7. ^ Jeffrey, William Hartley (1907). Successful Vermonters. The Historical Publishing Company. p. 53.
  8. ^ "Governor Graham has appointed Frederick G. Fleetwood of Morrisville as secretary of state". Manchester Journal. Manchester, VT. August 17, 1927. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Garceau, pp. 57–58.
  10. ^ State Officers' Reports. State of Vermont. 1904. p. 152.
  11. ^ Francis, David R. (1913). The Universal Exposition of 1904. St. Louis, MO: Louisiana Purchase Exposition Company. p. 425 – via Google Books.
  12. ^ St. Johnsbury and Lake Champlain Railroad Company (1911). Annual Report of the Directors of the St. Johnsbury and Lake Champlain Railroad. St. Johnsbury and Lake Champlain Railroad Company.
  13. ^ Vermont. Public Service Board (1914). Biennial Report. Vermont Public Service Board. p. 482.
  14. ^ a b "Rep. Fleetwood Improving But Will Not Attend Opening Session of Congress". The Burlington Free Press. Burlington, VT. December 3, 1923. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ Hess, Elmer C., Joint Committee on Printing, U.S. Congress (1925). Official Congressional Directory. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 214 – via Google Books.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  16. ^ "Washington Letter: Frederick G. Fleetwood". The Burlington Free Press. Burlington, VT. February 22, 1924. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "$250,000 Rutland Federal Building Looms On Horizon". The Burlington Free Press. Rutland, VT. April 12, 1924. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "Fleetwood Not Candidate for Re-Election". Orleans County Monitor. Barton, VT. May 28, 1924. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ Vermont Bank Commissioner (1925). Annual Report of the Bank Commissioner of the State of Vermont. Rutland, VT: The Tuttle Company. p. 182 – via Google Books.
  20. ^ Reports of State Officers, Departments and Institutions for the Year Ending June 30, 1926. Rutland, VT: The Tuttle Company. 1926. p. 156 – via Google Books.
  21. ^ "Obituary, Harold C. Sylvester". Burlington Free Press. Burlington, VT. July 16, 1988. p. 2B – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ "Jurist Harold Sylvester Dies". Burlington Free Press. Burlington, VT. July 16, 1988. p. 2B – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ^ The Christian Leader, Volume 120, Part 1. Universalist Publishing House. 1938. p. 283.
  24. ^ a b "Louise Fleetwood of Morrisville Dies In Mary Fletcher Hospital, April 13". Morrisville News and Citizen. Morrisville, VT. April 19, 1962. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ^ a b c "Fleetwood Dies". The Burlington Free Press. Burlington, VT. January 29, 1938. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
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  This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

Party political offices
Preceded by Republican nominee for Secretary of State of Vermont
1902, 1904, 1906
Succeeded by
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Vermont's 1st congressional district

March 4, 1923 – March 3, 1925
Succeeded by