Frank Plumley (December 17, 1844 – April 30, 1924) was an American politician and lawyer from
Vermont
Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to ...
. He served as
United States district attorney
United States attorneys are officials of the U.S. Department of Justice who serve as the chief federal law enforcement officers in each of the 94 U.S. federal judicial districts. Each U.S. attorney serves as the United States' chief federal c ...
and
U.S. Representative
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...
from Vermont.
Early life and career
Plumley was born in
Eden,
Vermont
Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to ...
, son of William Plumley and Eliza Little. He attended the public schools and People's Academy in
Morrisville, Vermont
Morrisville is a village in the town of Morristown, Lamoille County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2020 census, the village population was 2,086. Morrisville has two country clubs, a hospital, a school featuring Greek architecture and an air ...
. Plumley taught school and studied law in Morrisville. He graduated from the
University of Michigan Law School
The University of Michigan Law School (Michigan Law) is the law school of the University of Michigan, a Public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Founded in 1859, the school offers Master of Laws (LLM), Master of C ...
and was
admitted to the bar
An admission to practice law is acquired when a lawyer receives a license to practice law. In jurisdictions with two types of lawyer, as with barristers and solicitors, barristers must gain admission to the bar whereas for solicitors there are dist ...
in
Lamoille County
Lamoille County is a county located in the U.S. state of Vermont. As of the 2020 census, the population was 25,945, and it is the third-least populous county in Vermont. Its shire town (county seat) is the town of Hyde Park, while Morristow ...
in May 1869. He began the practice of law in
Northfield Northfield may refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Northfield, Aberdeen, Scotland
* Northfield, Edinburgh, Scotland
* Northfield, Birmingham, England
* Northfield (Kettering BC Ward), Northamptonshire, England
United States
* Northfield, Connec ...
.
Plumley held many positions in state and federal government. He served as the state's attorney of
Washington County from 1876 to 1880. He served in the Vermont House of Representatives (1882), and was chairman of the Republican State convention in 1886. In 1888 Plumley was a delegate to the Republican National Convention.
He was appointed lecturer of constitutional law at
Norwich University
Norwich University – The Military College of Vermont is a private senior military college in Northfield, Vermont. It is the oldest private and senior military college in the United States and offers bachelor's and master's degrees on-campus ...
in 1884, and was named a trustee of the university in 1888. In 1892 Norwich awarded Plumley the
honorary degree
An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or ''ad hono ...
of
Master of Arts
A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Tho ...
.
He served as the United States district attorney for the district of Vermont from 1889 to 1894. In 1894 he served in the Vermont State Senate and was elected
President pro tempore
A president pro tempore or speaker pro tempore is a constitutionally recognized officer of a legislative body who presides over the chamber in the absence of the normal presiding officer. The phrase ''pro tempore'' is Latin "for the time being". ...
. Plumley was a member of the Vermont Court of Claims from 1902 to 1904 and
chief justice from 1904 to 1908.
In 1903
President Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt Jr. ( ; October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), often referred to as Teddy or by his initials, T. R., was an American politician, statesman, soldier, conservationist, naturalist, historian, and writer who served as the 26t ...
appointed him as umpire of the mixed commissions of Great Britain and Venezuela, and the Netherlands and Venezuela, sitting in
Caracas
Caracas (, ), officially Santiago de León de Caracas, abbreviated as CCS, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela, and the center of the Metropolitan Region of Caracas (or Greater Caracas). Caracas is located along the Guaire River in the ...
. In 1905 he was selected by France and Venezuela as umpire in the French-Venezuela mixed commission, which sat in
Northfield, Vermont
Northfield is a New England town, town in Washington County, Vermont, United States. The town lies in a valley within the Green Mountains and has been home to Norwich University since 1866. It contains the Northfield (CDP), Vermont, village of No ...
. This is the only instance where an American not serving in a high official office was chosen by these countries to arbitrate the differences between them. Plumley was again a trustee of Norwich University in 1905. Plumley received the honorary degree of
LL.D.
Legum Doctor (Latin: “teacher of the laws”) (LL.D.) or, in English, Doctor of Laws, is a doctorate-level academic degree in law or an honorary degree, depending on the jurisdiction. The double “L” in the abbreviation refers to the early ...
from Norwich in 1905, and from the
University of Vermont
The University of Vermont (UVM), officially the University of Vermont and State Agricultural College, is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Burlington, Vermont. It was founded in 1791 and is amon ...
in 1909.
In 1909 Plumley was elected to the United States House of Representatives as 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 ...
. He was reelected twice, and served from March 4, 1909 to March 3, 1915. He was one of the four delegates from the U.S. Congress to the
Inter-Parliamentary Union
The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU; french: Union Interparlementaire, UIP) is an inter-parliamentary institution, international organization of national parliaments. Its primary purpose is to promote democratic governance, accountability, and coop ...
of the World in
Geneva
Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevra ; rm, Genevra is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and the most populous city of Romandy, the French-speaki ...
in 1912. He declined to be a candidate for renomination in 1914.
Personal life
Plumley married Lavinia Lucretia Smith Fletcher on August 9, 1871. They had two children
Charles Albert Plumley and Theodora May Plumley. Their son Charles Albert Plumley was a President of Norwich University who also served in the United States House of Representatives.
Death
After serving in Congress, Plumley resumed the practice of law in Northfield, Vermont in partnership with his son Charles and
Murdock A. Campbell
Murdock A. Campbell (January 16, 1889 – August 29, 1972) was a Vermont attorney and military officer who served as Adjutant General of the Vermont National Guard.
Early life
Murdock Alexander Campbell was born in Graniteville, Vermont on Janu ...
. He died on April 30, 1924 and is interred in Mount Hope Cemetery in Northfield.
References
Further reading
* "New England Families, Genealogical and Memorial: A Record of the Achievements of Her People in the Making of Commonwealths and the Founding of a Nation, Volume 4" by
William Richard Cutter
William Richard Cutter (August 17, 1847 – June 6, 1918) was an American historian, genealogist, and writer.
Life
Born in Woburn, Massachusetts on August 17, 1847, he was the son of Dr. Benjamin Cutter and Mary Whittemore Cutter. He attended ...
, published by Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1914.
* ''Norwich University, 1819-1911; Her History, Her Graduates, Her Roll of Honor'' by William Arba Ellis, published The Capital City Press, 1911.
External links
*
Biographical Directory of the United States Congress: PLUMLEY, Frank, (1844 - 1924)Govtrack.us: Rep. Frank Plumley
{{DEFAULTSORT:Plumley, Frank Edgar
1844 births
1924 deaths
People from Eden, Vermont
People from Washington County, Vermont
University of Michigan Law School alumni
Vermont lawyers
State's attorneys in Vermont
Republican Party members of the Vermont House of Representatives
Republican Party Vermont state senators
Presidents pro tempore of the Vermont Senate
Vermont state court judges
Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Vermont
Burials in Vermont
United States Attorneys for the District of Vermont
Norwich University faculty
19th-century American lawyers