Allen Miller Fletcher, 54th Governor of Vermont

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allen_M._Fletcher

Allen Miller Fletcher (September 25, 1853 – May 11, 1922) was an American politician who served as the 54th Governor of the U.S. state of Vermont from 1912 to 1915.

Biography

Fletcher was born in Indianapolis, Indiana on September 25, 1853. The son of a successful banker whose family was originally from Proctorsville, Vermont, he was educated at Willston Seminary in East Hampton, Massachusetts and became a banker and businessman with homes in Indianapolis and New York City. In 1881 he built a summer home in Proctorsville. He married Mary E. Bence and they had three children. In 1899 he moved to New York City and became a member of the Stock Exchange. Six years later he retired to spend more time in Vermont.

A Republican, Fletcher was a Proctorsville Village Trustee and served in the Vermont House of Representatives from 1902 to 1903, the Vermont State Senate from 1904 to 1905, and the Vermont House again from 1906 to 1911. He was a delegate to Republican National Convention in 1908.

In 1912 Fletcher was elected Governor, serving from 1912 to 1915. Fletcher was selected by the Vermont General Assembly after a three way race including a Progressive party nominee prevented any candidate from obtaining the popular vote majority required by the Vermont Constitution. While in office the end of Fletcher's term was extended from October, 1914 to January, 1915 as part of changing the start and end dates of all statewide offices to January.

After leaving the Governor's office, Fletcher returned to his business interests, and was an unsuccessful candidate for the Republican U.S. Senate nomination in 1916, losing to incumbent Carroll S. Page.

Death and legacy

Fletcher died of a cerebral hemorrhage while staying at Rutland's Berwick Hotel. He is interred at Crown Hill Cemetery, Indianapolis, Indiana.

Fletcher's family made numerous contributions for civic causes in Cavendish and Ludlow including constructing and donating Ludlow's Fletcher Library in 1901. His home "The Castle" is now an inn and restaurant near Okemo Mountain ski resort. In addition, his heirs donated the Ludlow property that is today the Fletcher Farm, a non-profit educational center that offers instruction in the arts.

Governor Fletcher's son Allen M. Fletcher, Jr. served in the Vermont House and Senate in the 1940s.