History of Richmond, (Chittenden County) Vermont United States of America

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George Franklin Edmunds, senator, was born in Richmond, Vt., Feb. 1, 1828; son of Ebenezer and Naomi (Briggs) Edmunds. He received a limited public school training, continuing his studies under a private tutor, and pursued a course in law in the office of his brother-in-law, A. B. Maynard, and with Smalley & Phelps, in Burlington, Vt. He was admitted to the bar in 1849, and removed to Burlington in 1851. He was a representative in the state legislature, 1854-59, being speaker of the house, 1857-59; was a state senator, 1861-62, and during both terms was chairman of the judiciary committee and president pro tempore of the senate. Governor Dillingham appointed him to the seat in the U.S. senate made vacant by the death of Senator Foote, and he took the oath of office, April 5, 1866. He was elected U.S. senator for the remainder of the term of Senator Foote by the legislature of Vermont and was re-elected in 1868, 1872, 1880 and 1886, serving 1866-91. He was a member and (except two years, when the Democrats controlled the senate) chairman of the judiciary committee, was prominent in the impeachment of President Johnson, supported President Grant's administration, assisted in the passage of the reconstruction measures, devised the electoral commission bill of 1877, and served as a member of the commission on the part of the senate. He was the constructor and chief supporter of the anti-polygamy bill. He was president pro tempore of the U.S. senate during Arthur's administration. His name was prominently before the Republican national convention of 1880, where he received thirty-four votes on the first ballot for the nomination for president, and again in 1884 when he received ninety-three votes on the first ballot. In 1886 he led his party in the senate in its effort to force President Cleveland to show cause for his removals from office. He framed a second anti-polygamy bill in 1887, similar to the original Edmunds act. At the close of the 51st congress he resigned his seat in the senate and was succeeded by Redfield Proctor of Proctor, Vt.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Richmond, (Chittenden County) Vermont

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