Charles Manley Smith
| Charles Manley Smith | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 63rd Governor of Vermont | |
|
In office January 10, 1935 – January 7, 1937 | |
| Lieutenant | George Aiken |
| Preceded by | Stanley C. Wilson |
| Succeeded by | George Aiken |
| 57th Lieutenant Governor of Vermont | |
|
In office 1933–1935 | |
| Governor | Stanley C. Wilson |
| Preceded by | Benjamin Williams |
| Succeeded by | George Aiken |
| Member of the Vermont House of Representatives | |
|
In office 1931–1933 | |
| Member of the Vermont Senate | |
|
In office 1927–1929 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
August 3, 1868 West Rutland, Vermont |
| Died |
August 12, 1937 (aged 69) Rutland, Vermont |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Mary A. Stark Smith (1864 -- 1935)[1] |
| Children | Dorothy Smith Mathews, Charlotte Smith Nicolet, Stark Smith |
| Profession |
Banker, Insurance Executive |
| Religion | Episcopal[2] |
Charles Manley Smith (August 3, 1868 – August 12, 1937) was an American politician from Vermont. He served as the 63rd Governor of Vermont from 1935 to 1937, and as the 57th Lieutenant Governor of Vermont from 1933 to 1935.
Life and career
Smith was born in West Rutland, Vermont on August 3, 1868. He graduated from Dartmouth College in 1891[3] and served as private secretary to former Vermont Governor Redfield Proctor when Proctor was Secretary of War.[4]
Active in banking and insurance, Smith became President of Marble Savings Bank in 1920.[5]
A Republican, Smith served in the Vermont State Senate from 1927 to 1929.[6] He was a member of the Vermont House of Representatives from 1931 to 1933, and was Ways and Means Committee Chairman.[7] He served as Lieutenant Governor from 1933 to 1935.[8]
Smith was elected Governor in 1934 and served from 1935 to 1937.[9] During his gubernatorial administration, old-age pension and unemployment laws were enacted by the state legislature.[10]
In December, 1936 Smith and other Marble Bank officials were charged with fraud for failing to inform account holders and authorities about an embezzlement. In May, 1932 Smith had learned that his bank's bookkeeper had stolen $251,000. Smith let him leave quietly, kept the theft secret, and charged the loss against the bank's surplus.[11][12][13]
In July, 1935 the bookkeeper was named Rutland's Assistant City Treasurer and planned a candidacy for Treasurer. To prevent this, his opponents leaked word of the theft to the press. The bookkeeper was convicted and jailed, and the bank Treasurer received a suspended sentence and a $400 fine. Charges against most other parties were dismissed, and Smith was acquitted at his trial.[14]
Death
Smith became ill in June, 1937 and died on August 12, 1937, just eight months after leaving office.[15][16] He is interred at Evergreen Cemetery, Rutland, Vermont.[17]
Family
He married Mary Aurelia Stark and they had three children, Dorothy Smith Matthews, Charlotte Smith Nicolet, and Stark Smith.[18]
References
- ↑ Hartford Courant, Obituary, Mrs. Charles M. Smith, February 24, 1935
- ↑ Vermont Secretary of State, Vermont Legislative Directory, 1935, page 563
- ↑ Alpha Delta Phi fraternity, Catalogue By Alpha Delta Phi, 1899, page 381
- ↑ New York Times, Mrs. Charles M. Smith; Wife of Governor of Vermont Succumbs at Age of 71, February 21, 1935
- ↑ American Bankers Association, Journal of the American Bankers Association, Volume 13, 1920, page 35
- ↑ American Legislators' Association, State government, Volumes 9-10, 1936, page 239
- ↑ Vermont House of Representatives, List of Ways & Means Committee Chairmen since 1900, 2005
- ↑ Vermont State Archives and Records Administration, Lieutenant Governors Terms of Service, 2011, page 2
- ↑ Vermont Secretary of State, Vermont Governors, Terms of Service, 2011
- ↑ "Charles M. Smith". National Governors Association. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
- ↑ New York Times, Vermont Governor Held in Bank Case, December 1, 1936
- ↑ Hartford Courant, Gov. Smith Is Released On Bank Charge, December 2, 1936
- ↑ New York Times, Gov. Smith Rearrested, December 29, 1936
- ↑ New York Times, Three Vermont Bankers Cleared, April 27, 1937
- ↑ New York Times, Ex-Gov. C. M. Smith of Vermont Dies, August 13, 1937
- ↑ Vermont Death Records, 1909-2008 Record for Charles Manley Smith, accessed via Ancestry.com, April 30, 2012
- ↑ Find A Grave, entry for Charles Manley Smith, accessed April 30, 2012
- ↑ "Charles M. Smith". Find A Grave. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Charles Manley Smith. |
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Benjamin Williams |
Lieutenant Governor of Vermont 1933–1935 |
Succeeded by George Aiken |
| Preceded by Stanley C. Wilson |
Governor of Vermont 1935–1937 |
Succeeded by George D. Aiken |
|