Horace Henry Powers (May 29, 1835 – December 8, 1913) was an American lawyer, judge and politician. He was most notable for his service as an

Associate Justice Associate justice or associate judge (or simply associate) is a judicial panel member who is not the chief justice in some jurisdictions. The title "Associate Justice" is used for members of the Supreme Court of the United States and some sta ...

of the

Vermont Supreme Court The Vermont Supreme Court is the highest judicial authority of the U.S. state of Vermont. Unlike most other states, the Vermont Supreme Court hears appeals directly from the trial courts, as Vermont has no intermediate appeals court. The Court ...

and a

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 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 ...

(1891-1901). A native of

Morristown, Vermont Morristown is a town in Lamoille County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 5,434. Morristown is the largest town by population in Lamoille County, and its central village of Morrisville serves as the county's mai ...

, Powers received bachelor's (1855) and master's (1858) degrees from the

University of Vermont The University of Vermont (UVM), officially the University of Vermont and State Agricultural College, is a public land-grant research university in Burlington, Vermont. It was founded in 1791 and is among the oldest universities in the United ...

, studied law, and became an attorney in first in Hyde Park before later returning to Morristown. Powers became active in politics 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 ...

, and served in the Vermont House of Representatives (1858-1859), as State's Attorney of

Lamoille County, Vermont 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 ...

(1861-1862), and the

Vermont 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 ...

(1872-1874). Powers returned to the Vermont House in 1874 and was elected to serve as

Speaker of the House The speaker of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body, is its presiding officer, or the chair. The title was first used in 1377 in England. Usage The title was first recorded in 1377 to describe the role of Thomas de Hungerf ...

, but he resigned in order to accept appointment as an

associate justice Associate justice or associate judge (or simply associate) is a judicial panel member who is not the chief justice in some jurisdictions. The title "Associate Justice" is used for members of the Supreme Court of the United States and some sta ...

of the

, where he served from 1874 to 1890. In 1890, Powers was elected to the

United States House of Representatives 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 ...

. He was reelected four times and served from March 4, 1891 to March 3, 1901. During his final three terms, Powers was chairman of the Committee on Pacific Railroads. He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1900, and resumed practicing law in Morristown. Powers died in Morristown on December 8, 1913. He was buried at Pleasant View Cemetery in Morristown.

Early life

Powers was born in

to Dr. Horace Powers and Love E. Gilman Powers. He graduated from People's Academy, and received a bachelor's degree from the

in 1855, where he was initiated into

Delta Psi St. Anthony Hall or the Fraternity of Delta Psi is an American fraternity and literary society. Its first chapter was founded at Columbia University on , the feast day of Saint Anthony the Great. The fraternity is a non–religious, nonsectaria ...

. He earned his master's degree from UVM in 1858. Powers studied law, 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 1858, and practiced first in Hyde Park, and later in Morristown.

Start of career

He served as a member of the Vermont House of Representatives in 1858. Powers was the

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 ...

State's Attorney in 1861 and 1862. He served as a member of the council of censors in 1869, and was a member of the State constitutional convention in 1870. Powers served in 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 ...

in 1872 and 1873. In 1874, he was again a member of the Vermont House and 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 ...

. Powers served as an associate justice of the

from December 1874 to December 1890. He was a trustee of the University of Vermont from 1883 until his death in 1913. He was a member of the Lamoille County Bank board of directors from 1888 until his death.

U.S. Congressman

Powers was elected as a

to the

Fifty-second United States Congress The 52nd United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1891, ...

and to the four succeeding Congresses, serving from March 4, 1891 until March 3, 1901. He served as chairman of the Committee on Pacific Railroads from the Fifty-fourth through Fifty-sixth Congresses. Powers was a delegate to the 1892 Republican National Convention. In 1896, Powers sponsored a controversial bill that would have allowed the Central Pacific Railroad to obtain a 75-year delay paying off a 30-year-old debt to the government. The bill inspired a campaign of opposition led by publisher

William Randolph Hearst William Randolph Hearst Sr. (; April 29, 1863 – August 14, 1951) was an American businessman, newspaper publisher, and politician known for developing the nation's largest newspaper chain and media company, Hearst Communications. His flamboya ...

and his employees, journalists

Ambrose Bierce Ambrose Gwinnett Bierce (June 24, 1842 – ) was an American short story writer, journalist, poet, and American Civil War veteran. His book '' The Devil's Dictionary'' was named as one of "The 100 Greatest Masterpieces of American Literature" by ...

and

Frank Norris Benjamin Franklin Norris Jr. (March 5, 1870 – October 25, 1902) was an American journalist and novelist during the Progressive Era, whose fiction was predominantly in the naturalist genre. His notable works include '' McTeague: A Story of San ...

. In one article about the Powers Bill, Bierce memorably wrote that while the handsome Powers might not be qualified to serve as chairman of the Pacific Railroads committee, he was certainly qualified to head the "Committee on Visible Virtues." In January, 1897 the Powers Bill was defeated 168 to 102. Powers was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1900. After leaving Congress, he resumed the practice of law in Morrisville, Vermont, and was chief counsel for the

Rutland Railroad The Rutland Railroad was a railroad in the northeastern United States, located primarily in the state of Vermont but extending into the state of New York at both its northernmost and southernmost ends. After its closure in 1961, parts of the ...

Personal life

Powers married Caroline Waterman on October 11, 1858. They had two children, Carrie L. Powers and George M. Powers. George M. Powers also served as the prosecuting attorney of Lamoille County, Vermont, and an associate justice of the Vermont Supreme Court. George Powers was the husband of Gertrude Francis Woodbury, whose father was Governor

Urban A. Woodbury Urban Andrain Woodbury (July 11, 1838 – April 15, 1915) was an American Civil War veteran, an entrepreneur and a U.S. politician of the Republican Party. He served as mayor of Burlington, 37th lieutenant governor, and as the 45th governor of V ...

Death and legacy

Powers died in Morristown on December 8, 1913. He was interred at Pleasant View Cemetery in Morristown. The Powers home in Morrisville is listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

by the

United States Department of the Interior The United States Department of the Interior (DOI) is one of the executive departments of the U.S. federal government headquartered at the Main Interior Building, located at 1849 C Street NW in Washington, D.C. It is responsible for the ma ...

. The home was built around 1850 and is named the Horace Henry Powers House.

References

External links

Biographical Directory of the United States Congress:POWERS, Horace Henry, (1835–1913)
*

Govtrack.us: Rep. Horace Powers

History50States.com: Horace Henry Powers Biography

{{DEFAULTSORT:Powers, Horace Henry 1835 births 1913 deaths People from Hyde Park, Vermont University of Vermont alumni Vermont lawyers State's attorneys in Vermont Justices of the Vermont Supreme Court Republican Party Vermont state senators Republican Party members of the Vermont House of Representatives Speakers of the Vermont House of Representatives Burials in Vermont Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Vermont 19th-century American politicians 19th-century American lawyers 20th-century American lawyers 19th-century American judges