Redfield Proctor Jr.

Redfield Proctor Jr. (April 13, 1879 – February 5, 1957) was an American business executive and politician who served as the 59th Governor of Vermont from 1923 to 1925.[2]

For other uses, see Proctor (surname).

Redfield Proctor Jr.
59th Governor of Vermont
In office January 4, 1923 – January 8, 1925
Lieutenant	Franklin S. Billings
Preceded by	James Hartness
Succeeded by	Franklin S. Billings
Member of the Vermont Senate from Rutland County
In office 1917–1919 Serving with Charles H. Dunton, George E. Chalmers, Bertrand R. Demeritt, Fred E. Steele, Wilson E. Aldrich
Preceded by	William S. Bascom, William H. Wright, Hugh J. Roberts, Carl H. Hinsman
Succeeded by	G. Frank Hendee, Harvey R. Kingsley, David L. Morgan, E. C. Taylor
Member of the Vermont House of Representatives from Proctor
In office 1912–1917
Preceded by	George Z. Thompson
Succeeded by	Benjamin Williams
Personal details
Born	(1879-04-13)April 13, 1879 Proctor, Vermont
Died	February 5, 1957(1957-02-05) (aged 77) Proctor, Vermont
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Mary Sherwood Hedrick[1]
Children	3
Profession	Business executive, Vermont Marble Company
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Army United States Army Reserve
Years of service	1917–1919 (Army) 1919–1941 (Reserve)
Rank	Colonel
Commands	322nd Engineer Regiment
Battles/wars	World War I

Life and career

The son of Emily Jane (née Dutton) and Redfield Proctor, a United States Senator from Vermont, Proctor Jr. was born in Proctor, Vermont on April 13, 1879.[3] He received a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1902 and was employed as an executive at the Vermont Marble Company, his family's business.[4] He rose to the position of vice president of the company and served as president of the Proctor Trust Company. He married Mary Sherwood Hedrick and they had three children.[5]

Proctor was also prominent in other businesses and trade groups, including serving as president of the Clarendon and Pittsford Railroad, and serving on the board of directors of Boston's Shawmut Bank, the National Association of Manufacturers and the United States Chamber of Commerce.[6][7][8]

Proctor was involved in several civic activities, including serving as a member of the Vermont Sanitarium Board of Trustees, and as a Trustee of Middlebury College, Vassar College and the University of Vermont.[9][10][11] He served as a selectman for the Town of Proctor before winning election to the Vermont House of Representatives, where he served from 1912 to 1917, and the Vermont State Senate where he served from 1917 to 1919. Proctor was a delegate to the 1920 Republican National Convention.[12]

Proctor enlisted in the United States Army for World War I, was commissioned as a captain of Engineers, and received his initial training at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Proctor was stationed at Washington Barracks, where he served as supply officer for the 322nd Engineer Regiment. He remained in the Army Reserve after the war and attained the rank of colonel as commander of the 322nd Engineers, which was a unit of the Reserve's 97th Division.[13][14][15]

In 1922 he was elected Governor and he served from 1923 to 1925. His term was marked by success at modernizing Vermont's state government, including authorizing the executive branch to employ a budget director and propose the state budget, and enabling the Governor to remove commissioners and department heads.[16][17][18]

After his term Proctor returned to Vermont Marble, serving as its president until retiring and becoming chairman of the board of directors in 1952,[19] a position in which he served until his death in Proctor on February 5, 1957.[20] He was buried at South Street Cemetery in Proctor.[21]

Family

In addition to being the son of Redfield Proctor, Proctor Jr. was the brother of Governor Fletcher D. Proctor, and the uncle of Governor Mortimer R. Proctor.[22][23]

References

1. Delta Upsilon fraternity, The Delta Upsilon Quarterly, Volume 24, 1905, page 42
2. "Redfield Proctor". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved November 19, 2012.
3. Vermont Secretary of State, Vermont Legislative Directory, 1917, page 512
4. John J. Duffy, Samuel B. Hand, Ralph H. Orth, The Vermont Encyclopedia, 2003, page 242
5. "Redfield Proctor". National Governors Association. Retrieved November 19, 2012.
6. Vermont Department of Banking and Insurance, Annual Report of the Bank Commissioner of the State of Vermont, 1921, page 167
7. Moody's Investors Service, Moody's Industrial Manual, 1917, page 842
8. Associated Press, Redfield Proctor, Former Vermont Governor, Dies, Lewiston Journal, February 5, 1957
9. American Medical Association, Journal of the American Medical Association, Volume 46, Issues 14-26, 1906, page 1121
10. Underwood & Underwood, Photo and Caption, Redfield Proctor Jr., Trustee, 1918-1957, Digital Collections at Middlebury College, accessed July 13, 2013
11. Bennington Banner, Gov. Proctor Dead at 77, February 6, 1957
12. National Governors Association, Biography, Redfield Proctor Jr., accessed July 13, 2012
13. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Technology Review, Volume 19, 1917, page 796
14. American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Journal of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Volume 40, 1918, page 1071
15. Society of American Military Engineers, The Military engineer, Volume 18, 1926, page 79
16. New York Times, Redfield Proctor Seeks Nomination for Governor of Vermont, April 17, 1922
17. New York Times, Redfield Proctor, Ex-Vermont Governor and Chairman of Marble Company, Dies, February 6, 1957
18. Christian Science Monitor, Obituary, Redfield Proctor Jr., February 6, 1957
19. Cathy Miglorie Vermont Marble Museum, Marble Minutes: Changing of the Guard, March 4th, 2011
20. Vermont Death Records, 1909-2008, entry for Redfield Proctor, accessed July 13, 2012
21. Anderson, Esther J., Proctor (VT) Town Clerk (February 5, 1957). "Vermont Death Records, 1909-2008, Entry for Redfield Proctor, Jr". Ancestry.com. Provo, UT: Ancestry.com, LLC. Retrieved November 17, 2017.
22. Samuel B. Hand, The Star That Set: The Vermont Republican Party, 1854-1974, 2003, page 113
23. Congressional Quarterly, American leaders, 1789-1994, 1994, page 465

External links

• Redfield Proctor Jr. at Find a Grave
• The Political Graveyard
• National Governors Association

Party political offices
Preceded by James Hartness	Republican nominee for Governor of Vermont 1922	Succeeded by Franklin S. Billings
Political offices
Preceded by James Hartness	Governor of Vermont 1923–1925	Succeeded by Franklin S. Billings