History of Cavendish, (Windsor County) Vermont United States of America

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Biographies:

Richard Fletcher, representative, was born in Cavendish, Vt., Jan. 8, 1788; son of Dr. Asaph and Sarah (Green) Fletcher. He was graduated from Dartmouth, A.B., 1806, A.M., 1809, and in the latter year was admitted to the bar, beginning practice in Salisbury, N.H. In 1819 he removed to Boston, Mass., and was later elected a representative in the state legislature. He was a Whig representative from Massachusetts in the 25th congress, 1837-39, defeating Charles Sumner. He was associate justice of the Massachusetts supreme court, 1848-53. In 1858 he retired from the active practise of his profession. He was a trustee of Brown, 1832-35; of Dartmouth, 1848-57, and an overseer of Harvard, 1854-56. Brown conferred upon him the honorary degree of A.M. in 1839; Dartmouth that of LL.D. in 1846, and Harvard that of LL.D. in 1849. He bequeathed to Dartmouth college over $100,000. He died in Boston, Mass., June 21, 1869.

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

Ryland Fletcher, governor of Vermont, was born in Cavendish, Vt., Feb. 18, 1799; son of Dr. Asaph and Sally (Green) Fletcher. His father (born in Westford, Mass., June 28, 1746, died in Cavendish, Vt., Jan. 5, 1839), was a member of the Massachusetts constitutional convention, 1780; removed to Vermont in 1787; was a presidential elector on the Monroe ticket in 1816, and was a practising physician. The son was educated in the common schools and at the Norwich military academy. He joined the state militia in 1817 and rose by successive promotions to the rank of brigadier-general in 1835. He was prominent among the early advocates of antislavery. In 1854 and 1855 he was elected lieutenant governor of the state and in 1856 was elected governor, serving two years. He was a representative in the state legislature, 1861-62, and was a member of the constitutional convention of 1870. He subsequently served several times as a presidential elector and as a delegate to Republican national conventions. Dartmouth conferred upon him the honorary degree of A.M. in 1869. He was married, June 11, 1829, to Mary, daughter of Eleazer May of Westminster, Vt. Their son, Col. Henry Addison Fletcher, served in the civil war, was an aide on the staff of Governor Proctor in 1878, a member of the state assembly for eight years, a state senator, 1886-87, lieutenant-governor of Vermont, 1890-91, and died at Proctorsville in April, 1897. Governor Fletcher died at Proctorsville, Vt., Dec. 19, 1885.

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