Roswell Farnham

Roswell Farnham
38th Governor of Vermont
In office
1880–1882
Lieutenant John L. Barstow
Preceded by Redfield Proctor
Succeeded by John L. Barstow
Personal details
Born July 23, 1827(1827-07-23)
Boston, Massachusetts
Died January 5, 1903(1903-01-05) (aged 75)
Bradford, Vermont
Political party Republican
Spouse(s) Mary Elizabeth Johnson

Roswell Farnham (July 23, 1827 – January 5, 1903) was a U.S. politician of the Republican Party and an officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War.

He came to Vermont with his father 1840, setting at Bradford; entered the junior class University of Vermont; graduate, 1849, degree of A. M. 1852. In 1849 married Mary Elizabeth Johnson of Bradford. Taught school at Dunham, Lower Canada; was principal of Franklin Academical Institution, Franklin, Vermont; later taught at the Bradford Academy; admitted to the Orange County Bar 1857; formed partnership with Robert McK. Ormsby; began practicing independently 1859; elected states attorney 1859, and twice re-elected.

During the early part of the Civil War, he was a second lieutenant in the Bradford Guards, a company in the 1st Regiment Vermont Volunteers. Later, he was a captain and then the lieutenant colonel of the 12th Regiment Vermont Volunteers, and for nearly half the term of his nine months of service was in command of the regiment.

After the war resumed practice of law at Bradford; Republican candidate for representative in the Legislature, but was defeated; state senator from Orange County 1868 and 1869; delegate to the Republican national convention and presidential elector 1876; elected governor of the state in 1880 by a majority of over 25,000.

United States Army portal
American Civil War portal

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