Stanley C. Wilson

Stanley C. Wilson
Stanley C. Wilson, Governor of Vermont, 1931-1935
62nd Governor of Vermont
In office January 8, 1931 – January 10, 1935
Lieutenant	Benjamin Williams Charles Manley Smith
Preceded by	John E. Weeks
Succeeded by	Charles Manley Smith
56th Lieutenant Governor of Vermont
In office 1929–1931
Governor	John E. Weeks
Preceded by	Hollister Jackson
Succeeded by	Benjamin Williams
Member of the Vermont Senate
In office 1927–1929
Member of the Vermont House of Representatives
In office 1915–1917 1925–1927
Personal details
Born	Stanley Calef Wilson September 10, 1879 Orange, Vermont
Died	October 5, 1967 (aged 88) Chelsea, Vermont
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Grace Goodwin Bacon Wilson (1879 -- 1968)[1][2]
Profession	Lawyer
Religion	Universalist

Stanley Calef Wilson (September 10, 1879 – October 5, 1967) was an American politician from Vermont. He served as the 55th Lieutenant Governor of Vermont from 1929 to 1931 and the 62nd Governor of Vermont from 1931 to 1935.

Early life

Stanley C. Wilson was born in Orange, Vermont on September 10, 1879. He graduated from Tufts University in 1901, studied law while working as Deputy Clerk of the Washington County Court and Reporter for the Vermont House of Representatives, and became an attorney.^[3][4]

Start of political career

A Republican, Wilson served in the Vermont House of Representatives from 1915 to 1917.^[5] In 1917 he served as Speaker following the resignation of John E. Weeks, who was appointed Director of State Institutions.

From 1917 to 1923 Wilson served as Judge of the Washington County Court.^[6]

In 1925 he returned to the Vermont House, holding office until 1927.^[7]

Wilson served in the Vermont Senate from 1927 to 1929.^[8]

Later political career

In 1928 Wilson was elected Lieutenant Governor, and he served from 1929 to 1931.^[9][10]

In 1930 he won election as Governor and served two terms, 1931 to 1935.^[11] Wilson's two terms were marked by efforts to recover from the Flood of 1927, and to deal with the effects of The Great Depression.^[12]

Post gubernatorial career

After leaving the governor's office Wilson practiced law in Chelsea with F. Ray Keyser, Sr., Deane C. Davis and J. Ward Carver. Their firm is regarded as Vermont's best ever collection of legal talent, producing two Governors (Wilson and Davis), one state Attorney General (Carver), and one state Supreme Court Justice (Keyser).

Wilson was a partner in the reorganization of the Vermont Copper Company, serving as its Secretary and President.^[13][14]

In 1952 he was the driving force behind the establishment of a community hospital, the Chelsea Health Center, the first community-owned nonprofit health center in the nation.^[15]

Wilson was also interested in higher education, serving as a member of the Tufts College Alumni Association and serving for over 50 years on the Norwich University Board of Trustees, including 15 years as Chairman. Norwich's Wilson Hall is named for him.^[16][17]

Governor Wilson died in Chelsea on October 5, 1967. He was buried at Highland Cemetery in Chelsea.^[18][19][20]

Sources

1. Vermont Marriage Records, 1909-2008, entry for Stanley Calef Wilson and Grace Bacon, April 22, 1909, accessed December 18, 2011
2. Vermont Death Records, 1909-2008, entry for Grace Bacon Wilson, accessed December 18, 2011
3. Encyclopedia of Vermont Biography, by Prentiss Cutler Dodge, 1912, page 360
4. Newspaper article, Stanley Wilson, Former Governor of Vermont Dies, by Associated Press, published in North Adams Transcript, October 6, 1967
5. Who's Who in Government, published by Biographical Research Bureau, Inc., Volume 1, 1930, page 676
6. American Legislative Leaders in the Northeast, 1911-1994, by James Roger Sharp and Nancy Weatherly Sharp, 2000, page 226
7. The International Who's Who, published by Europa Publications Limited, 1943, page 917
8. The Vermont of Today: With its Historic Background, Attractions and People, by Arthur F. Stone, Volume 3, 1929, pages 7 to 8
9. 10,000 Famous Freemasons, by William R. Denslow and Harry S. Truman, Volume 3 (K to Z), 2004, page 336
10. Newspaper article, Weeks Picked in Vermont, by Associated Press, published in Biddeford Weekly Journal, September 12, 1930
11. Biography, Stanley Calef Wilson, National Governors Association, accessed December 18, 2011
12. Farewell Address of Stanley C. Wilson, Journal of the Vermont Joint Assembly, published by Vermont State Legislature, January 10, 1935, pages 1 to 10
13. The Vermont encyclopedia, by John J. Duffy, Samuel B. Hand and Ralph H. Orth, 2003, page 302
14. Copper Company Formed To Operate in Vermont, by Associated Press, published in New York Times, April 17, 1942
15. Newspaper article, Chelsea Health Center To Build a New Home By Cornelia Cesari, by Cornelia Cesari, Randolph Herald, March 26, 2009
16. Biography, Stanley C. Wilson, University of Vermont, Stanley C. Wilson Papers Collection, accessed December 18, 2011
17. Residence Halls page, Norwich University web site, accessed December 18, 2011
18. Ex-Gov. S. C. Wilson of Vermont is Dead, New York Times, October 6, 1967
19. Newspaper article, Former Governor Dies at 88, by United Press International, published in Bennington Banner, October 6, 1967
20. Vermont Death Records, 1909-2008, entry for Stanley Calef Wilson, accessed December 18, 2011

External links

• Inventory of the Stanley Calef Wilson Papers, Special Collections, University of Vermont Library
• The Political Graveyard
• Find A Grave page, Stanley Calef Wilson, accessed December 18, 2011