Benjamin Williams (July 8, 1876 – February 11, 1957) was an American politician who served as

Speaker Speaker may refer to: Society and politics * Speaker (politics), the presiding officer in a legislative assembly * Public speaker, one who gives a speech or lecture * A person producing speech: the producer of a given utterance, especially: ** I ...

of the Vermont House of Representatives and the 58th

lieutenant governor of Vermont The lieutenant governor of Vermont is elected for a two-year term and chosen separately from the governor. The Vermont Lieutenant Governor's main responsibilities include acting as governor when the governor is out of state or incapacitated, presi ...

Life and career

Williams was born in

Fair Haven, Vermont Fair Haven is a town in Rutland County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,736 at the 2020 census. Within the town is located the census-designated place of Fair Haven. The town is noted for its late 19th century residential and com ...

on July 8, 1876. He graduated from Norwich University and was an attorney, executive of the Vermont Marble Company, and President of the Proctor Trust Company. A

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

, Williams served as Proctor's

Town Clerk A clerk is a senior official of many municipal governments in the English-speaking world. In some communities, including most in the United States, the position is elected, but in many others, the clerk is appointed to their post. In the UK, a Tow ...

from 1906 to 1918. From 1906 to 1908 he was Secretary of Civil and Military Affairs (chief assistant) to

Governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

Fletcher D. Proctor. Williams served in the Vermont House of Representatives from 1917 to 1921. In 1920 he was elected to the

Vermont State Senate The Vermont Senate is the upper house of the Vermont General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Vermont. The senate consists of 30 members. Senate districting divides the 30 members into three single-member districts, six two-m ...

, and served one term. In 1928 he returned to the Vermont House, and was chosen to serve as

. In

1930 Events January * January 15 – The Moon moves into its nearest point to Earth, called perigee, at the same time as its fullest phase of the Lunar Cycle. This is the closest moon distance at in recent history, and the next one will b ...

Williams was elected Lieutenant Governor, serving from 1931 to 1933. Williams was an unsuccessful candidate for

1934 Events January–February * January 1 – The International Telecommunication Union, a specialist agency of the League of Nations, is established. * January 15 – The 8.0 Nepal–Bihar earthquake strikes Nepal and Bihar with a maxi ...

, losing the Republican nomination to Charles M. Smith. Williams died in Proctor on February 5, 1957. He was buried in Fair Haven's West Street Cemetery.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Benjamin 1876 births 1957 deaths Burials in Vermont Lieutenant Governors of Vermont Norwich University alumni People from Fair Haven, Vermont People from Proctor, Vermont Speakers of the Vermont House of Representatives Republican Party members of the Vermont House of Representatives Vermont lawyers Republican Party Vermont state senators