| Lee Earl Emerson | |
|---|---|
| 69th Governor of Vermont | |
| In office 1951–1955 |
|
| Lieutenant | Joseph B. Johnson |
| Preceded by | Harold J. Arthur |
| Succeeded by | Joseph B. Johnson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | December 19, 1898 Hardwick, Vermont |
| Died | May 21, 1976 (aged 77) Berlin, Vermont |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Dorcas Ball Emerson |
| Profession | Attorney |
| Religion | American Baptist Churches USA |
Lee Earl Emerson (December 19, 1898 – May 21, 1976[1]) was the 69th Governor of Vermont. He was born in Hardwick, Vermont, on December 19, 1898, and moved to Barton, Vermont, at the age of 16. He graduated from Barton Academy in 1917, received an A.B. from Syracuse University in 1921 and a LL.B. from George Washington University Law School in 1926. He practiced law from the town of Barton.
He was elected as a Republican to the Vermont House of Representatives in 1939 and served two terms. He was elected Speaker of the House in his second term, serving from 1941 to 1943.[2] He was elected to the Vermont Senate in 1943, where he was elected President Pro Tempore.[3] He was Lieutenant Governor of Vermont from 1945 to 1949.
Throughout much of Vermont history lieutenant governors had served two two-year terms, and would then run for governor. However, the powerful Ernest Gibson was governor and was virtually unchallengeable. Therefore Harold J. Arthur, a striving fellow conservative, was prevailed upon to run for lieutenant governor. When Arthur unexpectedly became governor in 1950 after Gibson resigned, he loyally stood aside and let Emerson run for governor.
Emerson was elected and served from 1951 to 1955.
As governor, he recommended that Vermont citizens serving in the Korean War be paid a bonus by the state. He supported studies of the feasibility of building a natural gas pipeline for Vermont and of possible racial discrimination in the state. Also during his administration, legislation known as the Forest Act was passed, providing assistance for municipalities to establish forests.[4]
After leaving the office of governor, he ran unsuccessfully for Congress.
In 1958, he ran unsuccessfully for the nomination for the US Senate against Winston Prouty and four others in a primary that has been described as a Republican free-for-all.[5]
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He married Dorcas M. Ball on August 4, 1927. They had two children, Nancy and Cynthia.[6]
His religious affiliation was Baptist. He died in Berlin, Vermont, on May 26, 1976.[7] He is buried in Barton.[8]
Although his middle name was spelled "Earle" in the town records (birth certificate) and military tombstone (copied from the birth certificate), he always spelled it "Earl."
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Mortimer R. Proctor |
Lieutenant Governor of Vermont 1945—1949 |
Succeeded by Harold J. Arthur |
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