Urban A. Woodbury
Encyclopedia
Urban Andrain Woodbury was an American Civil War
veteran, an entrepreneur and a U.S. politician
of the Republican Party
. Served as the 45th governor of Vermont.
, the son of Albert M. and Lucy L. (Wadleigh) Woodbury, natives of Cavendish, Vermont
. He was educated in the public schools of Morristown
and Morrisville
, and graduated from the medical department of the University of Vermont
in 1859, but his career as a doctor was short-lived due to the advent of the Civil War. Woodbury married, on February 12, 1860, Paulina L. Darling, daughter of Ira and Sarah Darling, of Elmore, Vermont
.
, Company H, 2nd Vermont Infantry
, on June 20. He was taken prisoner on July 21 at the First Battle of Bull Run
, where he had the misfortune of losing his right arm, thus becoming Vermont's First Empty Sleeve. After nearly three months in prison in Richmond, Virginia
, he was paroled October 5, 1861, and discharged on account of wounds on October 18.
"Undaunted by his trying experience, he again sought to defend his country's flag," and accepted a commission as Captain of Company D, 11th Vermont Infantry
. He transferred to the Veteran Reserve Corps
on June 17, 1863, and resigned from the service March 27, 1865.
After returning from the war, Woodbury settled in Burlington
and engaged in the lumber and hotel businesses. For 19 years, he was manager of the Booth Lumber Company of Burlington, and for 35 years owner and proprietor of The Van Ness House, a hotel he enlarged twice to accommodate 400 guests.
As a Republican, he was elected alderman in Burlington's 2nd Ward in 1881 and 1882, being president of the board the second year. From 1884 to 1886, he served as colonel on the staff of Governor John L. Barstow
. He was Mayor of Burlington in 1885 and 1886, and Lieutenant Governor in 1888, under Governor William P. Dillingham
, and served as governor from 1894 to 1896. In 1898, he was appointed by President William McKinley
to a commission led by General Grenville Dodge, investigating the conduct of the War Department
in the Spanish-American War
.
Woodbury's fraternal associations included Freemasonry
, IOOF
, Grand Army of the Republic
, Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States
, Sons of the American Revolution
, and Knights of Pythias
.
He died in Burlington, and is buried in Lakeview cemetery there.
At the time of his death he was President of the Mead Manufacturing Company, the Crystal Confectionery Company, and Queen City Cotton Company, all Burlington enterprises.
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
veteran, an entrepreneur and a U.S. politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
of the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
. Served as the 45th governor of Vermont.
Prewar life
Woodbury was born in Acworth, New HampshireAcworth, New Hampshire
Acworth is a town in Sullivan County, New Hampshire, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 891.-History:Originally chartered by Governor Benning Wentworth in 1752, it was called Burnet after William Burnet, a former governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay...
, the son of Albert M. and Lucy L. (Wadleigh) Woodbury, natives of Cavendish, Vermont
Cavendish, Vermont
Cavendish is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The town was named after William Cavendish, Duke of Devonshire. The population was 1,470 at the 2000 census...
. He was educated in the public schools of Morristown
Morristown, Vermont
Morristown is a town in Lamoille County, Vermont, United States. The population was 5,139 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 51.6 square miles , of which 51.3 square miles is land and 0.3 square mile is...
and Morrisville
Morrisville, Vermont
Morrisville is a village in Morristown, Lamoille County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 2,009. Morrisville has 2 country clubs, a hospital, a school featuring Greek architecture and an airport. The hospital and one of the country clubs are named after...
, and graduated from the medical department of the University of Vermont
University of Vermont
The University of Vermont comprises seven undergraduate schools, an honors college, a graduate college, and a college of medicine. The Honors College does not offer its own degrees; students in the Honors College concurrently enroll in one of the university's seven undergraduate colleges or...
in 1859, but his career as a doctor was short-lived due to the advent of the Civil War. Woodbury married, on February 12, 1860, Paulina L. Darling, daughter of Ira and Sarah Darling, of Elmore, Vermont
Elmore, Vermont
Elmore is a town in Lamoille County, Vermont, United States. The town was named for Colonel Samuel Elmore, a landowner. The population was 849 at the 2000 census...
.
Civil War
Woodbury enlisted May 25, 1861, and mustered in as 1st SergeantSergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
, Company H, 2nd Vermont Infantry
2nd Vermont Infantry
The 2nd Regiment, Vermont Volunteer Infantry was a three year' infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It served in the eastern theater, predominantly in the VI Corps, Army of the Potomac, from June 1861 to July 1865...
, on June 20. He was taken prisoner on July 21 at the First Battle of Bull Run
First Battle of Bull Run
First Battle of Bull Run, also known as First Manassas , was fought on July 21, 1861, in Prince William County, Virginia, near the City of Manassas...
, where he had the misfortune of losing his right arm, thus becoming Vermont's First Empty Sleeve. After nearly three months in prison in Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, he was paroled October 5, 1861, and discharged on account of wounds on October 18.
"Undaunted by his trying experience, he again sought to defend his country's flag," and accepted a commission as Captain of Company D, 11th Vermont Infantry
11th Vermont Infantry
The 11th Regiment, Vermont Volunteer Infantry or simply known as 11th VVI was a three-years infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It served in eastern theater, from September 1862 to August 1865...
. He transferred to the Veteran Reserve Corps
Veteran Reserve Corps
The Veteran Reserve Corps was a military reserve organization created within the Union Army during the American Civil War to allow partially disabled or otherwised infirmed soldiers to perform light duty, freeing able-bodied soldiers to serve on the front lines.-The Invalid Corps:The corps was...
on June 17, 1863, and resigned from the service March 27, 1865.
Postwar life
Burlington, Vermont
Burlington is the largest city in the U.S. state of Vermont and the shire town of Chittenden County. Burlington lies south of the U.S.-Canadian border and some south of Montreal....
and engaged in the lumber and hotel businesses. For 19 years, he was manager of the Booth Lumber Company of Burlington, and for 35 years owner and proprietor of The Van Ness House, a hotel he enlarged twice to accommodate 400 guests.
As a Republican, he was elected alderman in Burlington's 2nd Ward in 1881 and 1882, being president of the board the second year. From 1884 to 1886, he served as colonel on the staff of Governor John L. Barstow
John L. Barstow
John Lester Barstow was a teacher, farmer, politician, and soldier.Barstow was born in Shelburne, Vermont, the son of Heman and Lorain Barstow. After teaching in a local school starting at the age of 15, he moved west to Detroit, but returned in 1857 to help his aging parents with the farm...
. He was Mayor of Burlington in 1885 and 1886, and Lieutenant Governor in 1888, under Governor William P. Dillingham
William P. Dillingham
William Paul Dillingham was an American Republican politician from the state of Vermont.-Early life:The son of Vermont Governor Paul Dillingham, William P. Dillingham was born on December 12, 1843, in Waterbury, Vermont, where he later attended the public schools...
, and served as governor from 1894 to 1896. In 1898, he was appointed by President William McKinley
William McKinley
William McKinley, Jr. was the 25th President of the United States . He is best known for winning fiercely fought elections, while supporting the gold standard and high tariffs; he succeeded in forging a Republican coalition that for the most part dominated national politics until the 1930s...
to a commission led by General Grenville Dodge, investigating the conduct of the War Department
United States Department of War
The United States Department of War, also called the War Department , was the United States Cabinet department originally responsible for the operation and maintenance of the United States Army...
in the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
.
Woodbury's fraternal associations included Freemasonry
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
, IOOF
IOOF
IOOF may refer to:* IOOF , Australian financial services company* Independent Order of Odd Fellows, fraternal organization...
, Grand Army of the Republic
Grand Army of the Republic
The Grand Army of the Republic was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army, US Navy, US Marines and US Revenue Cutter Service who served in the American Civil War. Founded in 1866 in Decatur, Illinois, it was dissolved in 1956 when its last member died...
, Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States
Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States
The Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, also known by its acronym MOLLUS or simply as the Loyal Legion, is a United States patriotic order, organized April 15, 1865, by officers of the Army, Navy, or Marine Corps of the United States who "had aided in maintaining the honor,...
, Sons of the American Revolution
Sons of the American Revolution
The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution is a Louisville, Kentucky-based fraternal organization in the United States...
, and Knights of Pythias
Knights of Pythias
The Knights of Pythias is a fraternal organization and secret society founded at Washington, DC, on 19 February 1864.The Knights of Pythias was the first fraternal organization to receive a charter under an act of the United States Congress. It was founded by Justus H. Rathbone, who had been...
.
He died in Burlington, and is buried in Lakeview cemetery there.
At the time of his death he was President of the Mead Manufacturing Company, the Crystal Confectionery Company, and Queen City Cotton Company, all Burlington enterprises.