Olin Merrill Jeffords (June 8, 1890 – October 10, 1964) was a Vermont attorney and judge who served as chief justice 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 ...

. He was the father of Senator

Jim Jeffords James Merrill Jeffords (May 11, 1934 – August 18, 2014) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a U.S. senator from Vermont. Sworn into the Senate in 1989, he served as a Republican until 2001, when he left the party to become ...

Biography

Olin M. Jeffords was born in Enosburg Falls, Vermont on June 8, 1890, the son of James Merrill Jeffords (1863–1926) and Mary D. (Merrill) Jeffords (1849–1918). He graduated from Enosburg Falls High School in 1909 and

Phillips Exeter Academy (not for oneself) la, Finis Origine Pendet (The End Depends Upon the Beginning) gr, Χάριτι Θεοῦ (By the Grace of God) , location = 20 Main Street , city = Exeter, New Hampshire , zipcode ...

in 1911. Jeffords worked in his father's drug store until 1915, when he decided to attend law school. He graduated from

Boston University Law School Boston University School of Law (Boston Law or BU Law) is the law school of Boston University, a private research university in Boston, Massachusetts. It is consistently ranked among the top law schools in the United States and considered an e ...

in 1918, was admitted to the bar, and became an attorney. He practiced with Ropes & Gray in Boston, and then returned to Vermont to practice in Ludlow with the firm of William W. Stickney and

John G. Sargent John Garibaldi Sargent (October 13, 1860March 5, 1939) was an American lawyer and government official. He served as United States Attorney General during the administration of President Calvin Coolidge. Biography John G. Sargent was born in Lu ...

. He later moved to

Rutland Rutland () is a ceremonial county and unitary authority in the East Midlands, England. The county is bounded to the west and north by Leicestershire, to the northeast by Lincolnshire and the southeast by Northamptonshire. Its greatest len ...

, where he continued to practice as a partner in a firm that grew to include several prominent attorneys, including

Leonard F. Wing Leonard Fish Wing Sr. (November 12, 1893 – December 19, 1945), nicknamed "Red", was a Vermont political figure and a division commander in the United States Army during World War II. Early life Leonard Wing was born in Ira, Vermont on November ...

. A Republican, in 1934 Jeffords was appointed a Judge of the

Vermont Superior Court The Judiciary of Vermont is the state court system of Vermont, charged with Vermont law. Vermont Constitution The Vermont courts are established in the Vermont Constitution in sections 28-41 (Judiciary Department). The justices of the Vermont S ...

. Jeffords rose by seniority to become the court's chief judge, a post he held briefly in 1938. Later in 1938, Jeffords was appointed an associate justice of the

, in keeping with Vermont's tradition of promoting the chief judge of the Superior Court as Supreme Court vacancies arose. He filled the vacancy caused by the death of Chief Justice

George M. Powers George M. Powers (December 19, 1861 – June 24, 1938) was a Vermont attorney, politician, and judge. He was most notable for his service as an associate justice of the Vermont Supreme Court from 1904 to 1906, and again from 1909 to 1913, and chi ...

and promotion of Associate Justice

Sherman R. Moulton Sherman R. Moulton (June 10, 1876 – June 16, 1949) was a Vermont attorney and judge. He is most notable for his service as an associate justice of the Vermont Supreme Court (1926-1939) and as Chief Justice (1939-1949). Early life Sherman Robe ...

to succeed Powers. In 1955 Jeffords became Chief Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court, succeeding

John C. Sherburne John C. Sherburne (August 31, 1883 – June 30, 1959) was a Vermont attorney and judge. His career was most notable for his service as an associate justice of the Vermont Supreme Court from 1934 to 1949, and the court's Chief Justice from 1949 to ...

, who had retired. Jeffords served until resigning in 1958. He was succeeded by

Walter H. Cleary Walter Henry Cleary (November 17, 1887 – April 12, 1974) was a Vermont attorney and judge. His career was most notable for his service as an associate justice of the Vermont Supreme Court from 1948 to 1958, and chief justice from 1958 to 1959. ...

Death and burial

Jeffords died in Rutland on October 10, 1964. He was buried at Missisquoi Cemetery in Enosburg Falls.

Awards and honors

In 1939 Jeffords was awarded the honorary degree of LL.D. from Boston University. In 2006 James Jeffords established the Olin M. Jeffords Scholarship at Vermont Law School, which is intended to benefit students pursuing a career in public service.

Family

In 1928 Jeffords married Marion Hausman (1895-1977). They were the parents of two children: Mary Jeffords Mills (1932-2009); and James Merrill Jeffords (1934-2014).

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Jeffords, Olin M. 1890 births 1964 deaths People from Enosburgh, Vermont People from Rutland (city), Vermont Phillips Exeter Academy alumni Boston University School of Law alumni Vermont lawyers Vermont Republicans Vermont state court judges Justices of the Vermont Supreme Court Chief Justices of the Vermont Supreme Court Burials in Vermont 20th-century American judges 20th-century American lawyers