Willard W. Miles
Willard W. Miles (February 6, 1845 – May 13, 1926) was a Vermont attorney and judge. He was most notable for his service as an Associate Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court from 1905 to 1906, and again from 1917 to 1923.
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Early life
Willard Wesbery Miles was born in Albany, Vermont on February 6, 1845, the son of Orin and Eunice (Clark) Miles.[1] He was educated in Albany, and attended academies in Barnston and Hatley, Quebec.[2]
Start of career
Miles taught school in Albany and Craftsbury, and studied law with attorneys Charles I. Vail and William W. Grout.[2] He was admitted to the bar in 1872, and practiced in Albany and Craftsbury.[2] A Republican, he held local office in both towns, including serving as school superintendent in Albany in 1867 and Craftsbury in 1876, and Craftsbury Town Clerk from 1875 to 1881.[3] From 1872 to 1874 he represented Albany in the Vermont House of Representatives, and he represented Craftsbury in the Vermont House from 1878 to 1879.[2]
In 1881, he moved to Barton, where he practiced law in partnership with Grout.[2] When Grout retired in 1888 in order to devote full time to his duties as a member of the Vermont House of Representatives, Miles continued the practice on his own.[4]
From 1890 to 1894, Miles served as State's Attorney of Orleans County, and from 1894 to 1896 he represented Orleans County in the Vermont Senate.[5]
In 1904, Miles was elected to represent Barton in the Vermont House; when Clarke C. Fitts resigned as a Representative to become Vermont Attorney General, Miles took his place as chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.[6]
Career as a judge
Miles served in the Vermont House until 1905, when he was appointed as an Associate Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court.[7] He served until 1906, when a newly-enacted law reduced the size of the court and eliminated his seat.[8]
When his position on the Supreme Court was eliminated, Miles was appointed a judge of the Vermont Superior Court.[8] He served in this position until 1917, when he was again appointed to the state Supreme Court.[9] He served as an Associate Justice until 1923, when he retired.[10] He was succeeded on the court by Fred M. Butler.[10]
Retirement and death
In retirement, Miles continued to reside in Barton.[11] He died there on May 13, 1926,[11] and was buried at Welcome O. Brown Cemetery in Barton.[12]
Family
In 1872, Miles married Ellen M. Dow.[13] They were the parents of daughters Ida M. (1873-1969), Mabel A. (1875-1940), and Dorothy E. (1895-1895), and son Orin L. (1879-1888).[12][14]
Mabel Augusta Miles was the wife of Frank D. Thompson (1876-1940), who served as an Associate Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court.[15] Thompson was the son of Laforrest H. Thompson, who also served on the state Supreme Court.[15]
References
- Biography of the Bar of Orleans County, Vermont, p. 263.
- Biography of the Bar of Orleans County, Vermont, p. 264.
- Genealogical and Family History of the State of Vermont, p. 495.
- Encyclopedia of Vermont Biography, pp. 89-90.
- Encyclopedia of Vermont Biography, p. 90.
- "Judge W. W. Miles", p. 36.
- "W. W. Miles Made Judge", p. 1.
- "Judge Hall Coming Here", p. 1.
- "John H. Watson Is New Chief Justice", p. 1.
- "Judge Butler Is Elected To Supreme Bench", p. 1.
- "Vermont Death Records 1909-2008, Entry for Willard W. Miles".
- "Welcome O. Brown Cemetery, Barton, Orleans Co., Vermont".
- Biography of the Bar of Orleans County, Vermont, p. 265.
- Encyclopedia of Vermont Biography, p. 89.
- "Death Notice, Frank Dutton Thompson", p. 86.
Sources
Books
- Baldwin, Frederick W. (1886). Biography of the Bar of Orleans County, Vermont. Montpelier, VT: Vermont Watchman and State Journal Press. p. 263.
- Carleton, Hiram (1903). Genealogical and Family History of the State of Vermont. New York, NY: Lewis Publishing Company. ISBN 9780806347943.
- Dodge, Prentiss Cutler (1912). Encyclopedia of Vermont Biography. Burlington, VT: Ullery Publishing Company. p. 88.
Magazines
- Forbes, Charles S. (January 1906). "Judge W. W. Miles". The Vermonter. White River Junction, VT: Charles R. Cummings.
- "Death Notice, Frank Dutton Thompson" (PDF). The Scroll of Phi Delta Theta. Menasha, WI: Phi Delta Theta Fraternity. September 1940.
Newspapers
- "W. W. Miles Made Judge". Burlington Free Press. Burlington, VT. November 30, 1905 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Judge Hall Coming Here". Bennington Banner. Bennington, VT. November 27, 1906 – via Newspapers.com.
- "John H. Watson Is New Chief Justice". Bennington Banner. Bennington, VT. January 19, 1917 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Judge Butler Is Elected To Supreme Bench". Burlington Free Press. Burlington, VT. January 23, 1923 – via Newspapers.com.
Internet
- Boyko, Janice (2007). "Welcome O. Brown Cemetery, Barton, Orleans Co., Vermont". Vermont Northeast Kingdom Genealogy. Simsbury, CT: Januce Boyko.
- Buckley, Cornelius (Town Clerk) (May 13, 1926). "Vermont Death Records 1909-2008, Entry for Willard W. Miles". Ancestry.com. Provo, UT: Ancestry.com, LLC. Retrieved December 2, 2017.
External links
Political offices | ||
---|---|---|
Preceded by Henry R. Start |
Associate Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court 1905–1906 |
Succeeded by None (position eliminated) |
Preceded by John H. Watson |
Associate Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court 1917–1923 |
Succeeded by Fred M. Butler |