John S. Buttles

John S. Buttles (January 20, 1877 – May 18, 1949) was a Vermont, attorney, and judge. He was most notable for his service as an Associate Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court from 1937 to 1949.

From 1919's Vermont, Its Government, by Walter J. Bigelow

Early life

John Stephen Buttles was born in Troy, New York on January 20, 1877,[1] the son of Hiram S. and Sybil G. (Selleck) Buttles.[2] He was raised in Brandon, Vermont, and graduated from Brandon High School in 1893.[3] He received a Ph.B. degree from the University of Vermont in 1897,[4] and was a member of Kappa Sigma[5] and Phi Beta Kappa.[6] He taught school in Rutland, Massachusetts,[7] and then began attendance at New York Law School, from which he received an LL.B. degree in 1900.[8] Battles was admitted to the bar, and worked as an attorney for the New York Life Insurance Company in New York City, Dubuque, Iowa, and Chicago until returning to Vermont in 1905.[9]

Continued career

Buttles settled first in Rutland, and later in Brandon, and became a partner in the law practice of Ebenezer J. Ormsbee.[10] A Republican, he served in several local offices, including assistant judge of Rutland's city court,[11] and Brandon's town meeting moderator and grand juror (city court prosecutor).[12] In 1916, he was an unsuccessful candidate for the Republican nomination for State's Attorney of Rutland County.[13]

During World War I, Buttles served in Company C, 1st Regiment of the Vermont Volunteer Militia, the organization formed to perform home guard duties while soldiers of the Vermont National Guard were activated for overseas duty.[14] Commissioned as a first lieutenant in 1917, he was promoted to captain and company commander in December 1918.[15]

In 1918, Buttles was elected to the Vermont House of Representatives.[16] He was serving in the House in April 1919, when he was appointed Vermont's Commissioner of Industries.[17] He served as commissioner until 1926, when he was appointed to the bench.[18]

Judicial career

In November 1926, Buttles resigned as Commissioner of Industries in order to accept appointment as a judge of the Vermont Superior Court.[18] He served until 1937, and advanced through seniority to become the court's chief judge.[19]

In January 1937, Buttles was appointed as an Associate Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court, replacing Frank D. Thompson, who had retired.[19] He served on the court until retiring in January 1949, and was succeeded by Charles Bayley Adams.[20]

Death and burial

Buttles died at the hospital in Rutland on May 19, 1949.[1] He was buried at Pine Hill Cemetery in Brandon.[21]

Family

On May 28, 1901, Buttles married Marilla J. Whitcomb (1878-1911).[2][22] In 1914, Buttles married Marion E. Seager (1875-1951).[23][24] With his first wife, Buttles was the father of a son, Robert S. Buttles (1904-1982).[22][25]

References
  1. "Vermont Death Records, 1909-2008, Entry for John Stephen Buttles".
  2. "Vermont Vital Records, 1720-1908, Marriage Record for John S. Buttles and Marilla J. Whitcomb".
  3. "School Notes", p. 5.
  4. General Catalogue of the University of Vermont, p. 185.
  5. "Initiates, 1893-94", p. 222.
  6. "Members", p. 49.
  7. "Personals: Alpha-Lambda", p. 479.
  8. "LL.B. for 135 Young Men", p. 5.
  9. "John S. Buttles, of this town...", p. 5.
  10. "City News: Mrs. Dora M. Whitcomb and Daughter", p. 8.
  11. "John S. Buttles, attorney of Rutland City", p. 5.
  12. "Brandon: Election Passes Off Quietly", p. 3.
  13. "Poulin Renominated", p. 1.
  14. "Brandon Gets Volunteer Co.", p. 2.
  15. "Brandon: John S. Buttles Now Captain of Co. C", p. 10.
  16. "John S. Buttles for Commissioner of Industries", p. 8.
  17. "Names Buttles Superior Judge", p. 2.
  18. "Adams Superior Judge; Buttles to Supreme Bench", p. 2.
  19. "Vermont Legislature Elects Miles Judge", p. 7.
  20. "Many Attend Rites for Justice Battles", p. 15.
  21. "Obituary, Mrs. John S. Buttles", p. 7.
  22. "Town Talk: Attorney John S. Buttles", p. 8.
  23. "Mrs. Marion Buttles, Widow of Supreme Court Justice, Dies", p. 4.
  24. "Robert S. Buttles in the U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014".

Sources

Newspapers

Books

Magazines
  • University of Vermont (1899). "Members". Phi Beta Kappa: Alpha of Vermont, 1848-1898. Burlington, VT: Burlington Free Press Association.
  • Warner, George W. (July 1894). "Initiates, 1893-94". Caduceus of Kappa Sigma. Vol. 9. Philadelphia, PA: G. W. Warner.
  • Covington, J. Harry (November 1897). "Personals: Alpha-Lambda". Caduceus of Kappa Sigma. Vol. 12. Easton, MD: J. H. Covington.

Internet
Political offices
Preceded by
Frank D. Thompson		 Associate Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court
1937–1949		 Succeeded by
Charles Bayley Adams
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