Benjamin Franklin Fifield, U.S. Senator (VT)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_F._Fifield

Benjamin F. Fifield (November 18, 1832 - July 23, 1918) was a Vermont attorney. He served as United States Attorney for the District of Vermont (1869-1880) and chief counsel of the Central Vermont Railway, and was a prominent corporation attorney who represented clients throughout New England and New York.

Early life

Benjamin Franklin Fifield was born in Orange, Vermont on November 18, 1832, the son of Orange Fifield and Melissa (Nelson) Fifield. Orange Fifield moved his family to Montpelier when Fifield was a youth, and he was educated in the public schools of Montpelier, Montpelier Academy, and Plattsburgh Academy in New York. He then attended the University of Vermont, from which he received a bachelor of arts degree in 1855. Fifield studied law at the Montpelier firm of Lucius B. Peck and Stoddard B. Colby, and was admitted to the bar in 1858.

Career

Fifield practiced law with Peck and Colby. After Colby left Vermont in 1864 to serve as U.S. Register of the Treasury, Fifield became Peck's partner, and they practiced as Peck and Fifield until Peck's death in 1866. After Peck's death, Fifield continued the law practice as the firm's sole partner. His later partners included Charles W. Porter and Clarence H. Pitkin. Beginning in 1869, he served as counsel for the Central Vermont Railway, and his effective representation of corporations became so well known that he acquired clients from throughout the northeastern United States.

A Republican, in 1869, Fifield was appointed United States Attorney for the District of Vermont, and he served until 1880. When U.S. District Judge David Allen Smalley died in 1877, Fifield was the leading candidate to replace him, but withdrew in order to continue representing the Central Vermont Railway and other clients in pending litigation, which he did in addition to his U.S. Attorney's duties. In 1880 and 1881 he was Montpelier's member of the Vermont House of Representatives, and served as chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.

From 1883 to 1884, Fifield served as president of the Vermont Bar Association. In 1884, Fifield was a delegate to the Republican National Convention. In 1885, he was one of the federal commissioners appointed to select a site in Montpelier for a new post office and courthouse. In 1893, Fifield was one of Vermont's commissioners for creating and operating the state's exhibits at the World's Columbian Exposition. Fifield was also a longtime trustee of the University of Vermont.

Retirement

In the mid 1890s, Fifield retired from most legal business, but continued to serve as counsel for the Central Vermont Railway. In January 1899, Governor Edward Curtis Smith offered to appoint Fifield to the United States Senate seat left vacant by the death of Justin Smith Morrill. Fifield initially gave his tentative acceptance, but declined several days later, informing Smith that he felt obligated to turn down the appointment so he could care for his wife during her final illness. Smith then offered the appointment to Jonathan Ross, who accepted.

Death and burial

After Fifield's wife died in March 1899, he retired and continued to reside in Montpelier. He died in Montpelier on July 23, 1918, and was buried at Green Mount Cemetery in Montpelier.

Family

In 1865, Fifield married Lucy Hubbard (1838-1899) of Montpelier. They were the parents of three daughters. Fanny (1865-1948) was the wife of Burnside B. Bailey. Arabella ("Belle" (1870-1963) married Julius F. Workum. Ellen (1875-1949) was the wife of Carlisle J. Gleason.

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https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/MF9Y-T9D

Ticonderoga sentinel January 12, 1899, Page 2

Vermont's New Senator.

The governor of Vermont, E. C. Smith, has appointed Benjamin F. Fifield of Montpelier to succeed the late Justin S. Morrill in the United States Senate. Mr. Fifield is one of the leading lawyers of the state. He has not been prominent in politics, but is a very able man.

The Nation Republican committee gave him credit for the most convincing speech that was made in the GarfieId campaign, and used millions of copies of it.

Benjamin Franklin Fifield was born in Orange, Vt.. in 1832. and was the son of Col. Orange Fifield. His ancestors came from Scotland and settled in Massachusetts.

He is a graduate of the University of Vermont, class of 55. At the close of his college course he entered the office of Peck & Colby at Montpelier, and in 1858 he was admitted to the Washington county bar. Upon the removal of Mr. Colby from Vermont, Mr. Fifield formed a partnership with Mr. Peck which continued until the laters death, when Mr. Fifield succeeded to the business of the firm.

In 1884 he was elected delegate to the Republican national convention, and in the same year became president of the Vermont Bar Association.

Mr. Fifield has been a prominent railroad attorney. In 1869 he became counsel and confidential adviser of the Vermont Central Railroad Company, and of receivers of that company, which relation to that company and its successors has continued until the present time.

He is a member of the corporation of the University of Vermont.

He was married in 1865 to Lucy Hubbard Montpelier and had three daughters.
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Info below provided by: Bill McKern

Vermont attorney and politician. He was educated in Montpelier and Plattsburgh before attending the University of Vermont, from which he graduated in 1855. He studied law with the Montpelier firm of Peck and Stoddard, and was admitted to the bar in 1858. Fifield became a highly regarded corporation lawyer; in addition to serving as Counsel for the Central Vermont Railway, his representation included companies from throughout New England and New York. He served as Vermont’s US Attorney from 1869 to 1880, and the Vermont House of Representatives in 1880 and 1881. He was president of the Vermont Bar Association from 1883 to 1884, and a delegate to the 1884 Republican National Convention. In 1885, he was one of the federal site selection commissioners for Montpelier’s new post office and US courthouse, and in 1893 he was a commissioner for Vermont’s exhibits at the World's Columbian Exposition. In January 1899, Fifield was offered appointment to the US Senate following Justin Morrill’s death. He tentatively accepted, but then declined so he could attend to his wife during her final illness, so the appointment went to Jonathan Ross. Fifield retired after his wife’s death in March 1899, and continued to reside in Montpelier.