H. Henry Powers | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the United States House of Representatives fromVermont's1st district | |
| In office March 4, 1891 – March 3, 1901 | |
| Preceded by | John Wolcott Stewart |
| Succeeded by | David J. Foster |
| Associate Justice of theVermont Supreme Court | |
| In office 1874–1890 | |
| Preceded by | Asahel Peck |
| Succeeded by | Laforrest H. Thompson |
| Speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives | |
| In office October 7, 1874 – November 24, 1874 | |
| Preceded by | Franklin Fairbanks |
| Succeeded by | Josiah Grout |
| Member of theVermont House of Representatives fromMorristown | |
| In office October 7, 1874 – November 24, 1874 | |
| Preceded by | Rev. G. W. Bailey |
| Succeeded by | Alden Darling |
| Member of theVermont Senate fromLamoille County | |
| In office 1872–1874 | |
| Preceded by | Asa R. Camp |
| Succeeded by | Carroll S. Page |
| State's Attorney ofLamoille County, Vermont | |
| In office 1861–1862 | |
| Preceded by | Reuben C. Benton |
| Succeeded by | Philip K. Gleed |
| Member of theVermont House of Representatives fromMorristown | |
| In office 1858–1859 | |
| Preceded by | Harrison Ferrin |
| Succeeded by | Thomas Gleed |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1835-05-29)May 29, 1835 |
| Died | December 8, 1913(1913-12-08) (aged 78) Morristown, Vermont |
| Resting place | Pleasant View Cemetery, Morristown, Vermont |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Caroline Waterman Powers |
| Children | 2 (includingGeorge M. Powers) |
| Alma mater | University of Vermont |
| Profession | Attorney |
Horace Henry Powers (May 29, 1835 – December 8, 1913) was an American lawyer, judge and politician. He was most notable for his service as anAssociate Justice of theVermont Supreme Court and aU.S. Representative fromVermont (1891–1901).
A native ofMorristown, Vermont, Powers received bachelor's (1855) and master's (1858) degrees from theUniversity of Vermont, studied law, and became an attorney inHyde Park before later returning to Morristown. Powers became active in politics as aRepublican, and served in theVermont House of Representatives (1858-1859), asState's Attorney ofLamoille County, Vermont (1861–1862), and theVermont Senate (1872–1874). Powers returned to the Vermont House in 1874 and was elected to serve asSpeaker of the House, but he resigned in order to accept appointment as anassociate justice of theVermont Supreme Court, where he served from 1874 to 1890.
In 1890, Powers was elected to theUnited States House of Representatives. He was reelected four times and served from March 4, 1891 to March 3, 1901. During his final three terms, Powers was chairman of the Committee on Pacific Railroads. He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1900, and resumed practicing law in Morristown.
Powers died in Morristown on December 8, 1913. He was buried at Pleasant View Cemetery in Morristown.
H. Henry Powers was born inMorristown, Vermont on May 29, 1835, the son of Dr. Horace Powers and Love E. (Gilman) Powers.[1] He graduated from Morristown's People's Academy and received a Bachelor of Arts degree from theUniversity of Vermont (UVM) in 1855.[2] Powers graduatedPhi Beta Kappa from UVM and was initiated intoDelta Psi.[3][4] He earned hisMaster of Arts degree from UVM in 1858.[2] Powers taught school inHuntingdon, Quebec andHyde Park, Vermont, thenstudied law, first with Thomas Gleed of Morristown, and later with Child & Ferrin of the village ofHyde Park.[5] He attainedadmission to the bar in 1858 and practiced first in Hyde Park, and later in Morristown.[2]
He served as a member of theVermont House of Representatives in 1858.[2] Powers was theLamoille CountyState's Attorney in 1861 and 1862.[6] He served as a member of the council of censors in 1869, and was a member of the State constitutional convention in 1870.[1]
Powers served in theVermont State Senate in 1872 and 1873.[7] In 1874, he was again a member of the Vermont House and served asSpeaker.[8]
Powers served as an associate justice of theVermont Supreme Court from December 1874 to December 1890.[9] He was a trustee of the University of Vermont from 1883 until his death.[10] He was also a member of the Lamoille County Bank board of directors from 1888 until his death.[7]
Powers was elected as aRepublican to theFifty-second United States Congress and to the four succeeding Congresses, serving from March 4, 1891 until March 3, 1901.[11] He served as chairman of the Committee on Pacific Railroads from theFifty-fourth throughFifty-sixth Congresses.[12] Powers was a delegate to the 1892Republican National Convention.[9]
In 1896, Powers sponsored a controversial bill that would have allowed theCentral Pacific Railroad to obtain a 75-year delay in paying off a 30-year-old debt to the government.[13] The bill inspired a campaign of opposition led by publisherWilliam Randolph Hearst and his employees, journalistsAmbrose Bierce andFrank Norris.[13] In one article about the Powers Bill, Bierce memorably wrote that while the handsome Powers might not be qualified to serve as chairman of the Pacific Railroads committee, he was certainly qualified to head the "Committee on Visible Virtues."[13] In January, 1897 the Powers Bill was defeated 168 to 102.[14]
Powers was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1900.[9] After leaving Congress, he resumed the practice of law in Morrisville, Vermont, and was chief counsel for theRutland Railroad.[3]
Powers married Caroline Waterman on October 11, 1858.[2] They were the parents of two children, Carrie L. and George M.[15]George M. Powers also served as the state's attorney of Lamoille County, Vermont, and an associate justice and chief justice of the Vermont Supreme Court.[7] George Powers was the husband of Gertrude Francis Woodbury, whose father was GovernorUrban A. Woodbury.[16]
Powers died in Morristown on December 8, 1913.[17] He was interred at Pleasant View Cemetery in Morristown.[17] In 1896,Norwich University awarded Powers thehonorary degree ofLL.D.[3] The Horace Henry Powers House in Morrisville is listed on theNational Register of Historic Places.[18]
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This article incorporatespublic domain material fromBiographical Directory of the United States Congress.Federal government of the United States.
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| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromVermont's 1st congressional district March 4, 1891 – March 3, 1901 | Succeeded by |
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| National | |
| People | |
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