1861 Vermont gubernatorial election

Last updated

1861 Vermont gubernatorial election
Flag of Vermont (1837-1923).svg
  1860 September 3, 1861 (1861-09-03) 1862  
  Frederick Holbrook (Vermont governor) 2.jpg Andrew Tracy.jpg
Nominee Frederick Holbrook Andrew Tracy Benjamin H. Smalley
Party Republican Democratic Peace Democrat
Popular vote33,1525,7223,190
Percentage77.5%13.4%7.5%

Governor before election

Erastus Fairbanks
Republican

Elected Governor

Frederick Holbrook
Republican

The 1861 Vermont gubernatorial election for governor of Vermont was held on Tuesday, September 3. [1] In keeping with the "Mountain Rule", incumbent Republican Erastus Fairbanks, who had also served as governor from 1852 to 1853, was not a candidate for a third one-year term. [2] [3] The Republican nominee was Frederick Holbrook, a former member of the Vermont Senate. [2] With the Democratic Party split nationally over the issue of slavery during the American Civil War, Andrew Tracy, a former member of the United States House of Representatives, appeared on the ballot as a pro-Union Democrat. [4] Benjamin H. Smalley was on the ballot as a "Peace Democrat," Democrats who favored a compromise with the states that had formed the Confederacy. [5]

Contents

Vermont continued to oppose slavery and support the Union, which was reflected in its support of Republican candidates. [2] Holbrook easily defeated both Democrats and won a one-year term that began on October 15. [2] [6] Illness confined Holbrook at home for most of October, [7] and he delayed traveling to Montpelier to take his oath of office until October 22. [8]

General election

Results

1861 Vermont gubernatorial election [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Frederick Holbrook 33,152 77.5%
Democratic Andrew Tracy 5,72213.4%
Peace Democrat Benjamin H. Smalley3,1907.5%
Scattering7321.6%
Total votes'42,796''100'

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lawrence Brainerd</span> American politician

Lawrence Brainerd was an American businessman, abolitionist and United States Senator from Vermont. A longtime anti-slavery activist, after leaving the Jacksonians in the 1830s, Brainerd was active in the Whig, Liberty, and Free Soil parties, and was one of the organizers of the Republican Party when it was formed as the main anti-slavery party in the mid-1850s. Brainerd's longtime commitment to the cause of abolition was recognized in 1854, when opponents of slavery in the Vermont General Assembly chose him to fill a five-month vacancy in the United States Senate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frederick Holbrook</span> American politician

Frederick Holbrook was an American farmer, businessman, and Governor of the State of Vermont. Active in politics and government, first as a Whig, and later as a Republican, he was most notable for his service as the 27th governor of Vermont from 1861 to 1863.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Levi Underwood</span> American politician

Levi Underwood was a lawyer and politician from Vermont. Originally a Democrat, Underwood's antislavery views caused him to join the new Republican Party when it was founded. Underwood was most notable for his service as the 23rd lieutenant governor of Vermont from 1860 to 1862.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1867 Vermont gubernatorial election</span> Election

The 1867 Vermont gubernatorial election took place on September 3, 1867. In keeping with the "Mountain Rule", incumbent Republican Paul Dillingham was not a candidate for another term as governor of Vermont. The Republican nomination was won by John B. Page, who had previously served as Vermont State Treasurer. The Democratic nomination was won by John L. Edwards of Newport, who had previously served as State's Attorney of Orleans County. In the general election, Page was elected to a one-year term as governor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1866 Vermont gubernatorial election</span> Election

The 1866 Vermont gubernatorial election took place on September 4, 1866. In keeping with the "Mountain Rule", Incumbent Republican Paul Dillingham was a candidate for a second one-year term as governor of Vermont. With the election taking place soon after the American Civil War, Dillingham ran as a pro-Union Republican. The Democratic nomination was won by Charles N. Davenport of Wilmington, an attorney and founder of the Brattleboro Reformer newspaper, who was also the Democratic nominee in 1865. In the general election, Dillingham was easily elected to a second one-year term as governor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1852 Vermont gubernatorial election</span> Election

The 1852 Vermont gubernatorial election was held on Tuesday, September 7. Incumbent governor Charles K. Williams, a Whig, was not a candidate for reelection. In the voting, Whig Erastus Fairbanks received 49.2 percent, Democrat John S. Robinson 31.3 percent, and Free Soil Party nominee Lawrence Brainerd 19.6 percent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1863 Vermont gubernatorial election</span> Election

The 1863 Vermont gubernatorial election for governor of Vermont took place on September 1. In accordance with the Republican Party's "Mountain Rule", incumbent Frederick Holbrook was not a candidate for reelection. The Republican nominee was J. Gregory Smith, the Speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives. The Democratic nominee was Timothy P. Redfield, a former member of the Vermont Senate and the Free Soil Party's nominee for governor in 1851. In the general election, the Republican Party's dominance of Vermont politics and government continued, and Smith was easily elected to a one-year term.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1853 Vermont gubernatorial election</span> Election

The 1853 Vermont gubernatorial election took place on September 6. The same three candidates who ran for governor of Vermont in 1852 ran again in 1853: Whig and incumbent Erastus Fairbanks, Democratic candidate John S. Robinson, and Lawrence Brainerd, the nominee of the Free Soil Party. The results showed that Fairbanks had received 43.9 percent of the vote, with Robinson receiving 38.5 percent, and Brainerd 17.6 percent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1854 Vermont gubernatorial election</span> Election

The 1854 Vermont gubernatorial election for governor of Vermont took place on September 5. The Whig nominee was Stephen Royce, former Chief Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court. The Democratic nominee was Merritt Clark, and Lawrence Brainerd ran as the nominee of the Free Soil Party even as he was one of the organizers of the new anti-slavery Republican Party and appeared as a Whig candidate for the Vermont Senate on the ballot in Franklin County. Whig William C. Kittredge was nominated for governor against his wishes by advocates of the Temperance movement and Democrat Horatio Needham also attracted the support of some Free Soil advocates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1855 Vermont gubernatorial election</span> Election

The 1855 Vermont gubernatorial election for governor of Vermont was held on September 4. With the Whig Party defunct after 1854, incumbent Stephen Royce, who had run with the support of both Whigs and the new Republican Party in 1854, ran as the nominee of the Republicans. The Democratic candidate was Merritt Clark, who had run unsuccessfully against Royce in 1854. James M. Slade, the Clerk of the Vermont House of Representatives was the nominee of the Know Nothing Party, also called the American Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1856 Vermont gubernatorial election</span> Election

The 1856 Vermont gubernatorial election for governor of Vermont was held on Tuesday, September 2. In keeping with the "Mountain Rule", incumbent Republican Stephen Royce was not a candidate for a third one-year term. The Republican nomination was won by Ryland Fletcher, the incumbent lieutenant governor. The Democratic nominee was Henry Keyes, a former member of the Vermont House of Representatives and Vermont Senate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1857 Vermont gubernatorial election</span> Election

The 1857 Vermont gubernatorial election for governor of Vermont was held on Tuesday, September 1. In keeping with the "Mountain Rule", incumbent Republican Ryland Fletcher was a candidate for a second one-year term. The Democratic nominee was Henry Keyes, a former member of the Vermont House of Representatives and Vermont Senate who had run against Fletcher in 1856.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1858 Vermont gubernatorial election</span> Election

The 1858 Vermont gubernatorial election for governor of Vermont was held on Tuesday, September 7. In keeping with the "Mountain Rule", incumbent Republican Ryland Fletcher was not a candidate for a third one-year term. The Republican nominee was Hiland Hall. The Democratic nominee was Henry Keyes, who was also the Democratic nominee in 1856 and 1857.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1859 Vermont gubernatorial election</span> Election

The 1859 Vermont gubernatorial election for governor of Vermont was held on Tuesday, September 6. In keeping with the "Mountain Rule", incumbent Republican Hiland Hall was a candidate for a second one-year term. The Democratic nominee was John Godfrey Saxe, former State's Attorney of Chittenden County.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1860 Vermont gubernatorial election</span> Election

The 1860 Vermont gubernatorial election for governor of Vermont was held on Tuesday, September 4. In keeping with the "Mountain Rule", incumbent Republican Hiland Hall was not a candidate for a third one-year term. The Republican nominee was former Governor Erastus Fairbanks. With the Democratic Party fracturing nationally over the slavery issue, John Godfrey Saxe, the Democratic nominee against Hall in 1859, appeared on the ballot as a supporter of Stephen A. Douglas for president. Robert Harvey appeared as a supporter of Democratic presidential candidate John C. Breckinridge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1862 Vermont gubernatorial election</span> Election

The 1862 Vermont gubernatorial election for governor of Vermont was held on Tuesday, September 2. In keeping with the "Mountain Rule", incumbent Republican Frederick Holbrook was a candidate for a second one-year term. The Democratic nominee was Benjamin H. Smalley, who had been on the ballot in 1861 as the gubernatorial candidate of the "Peace Democrats," who favored compromise with the Confederacy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1813 Vermont gubernatorial election</span> Election for the Governor of Vermont

The 1813 Vermont gubernatorial election for Governor of Vermont took place in September and October, and resulted in the election of Martin Chittenden to a one-year term.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1830 Vermont gubernatorial election</span> Election for the Governor of Vermont

The 1830 Vermont gubernatorial election took place in September and October, and resulted in the election of Samuel C. Crafts to a one-year term as governor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1832 Vermont gubernatorial election</span> Election for the Governor of Vermont

The 1832 Vermont gubernatorial election took place in September and October, and resulted in the election of William A. Palmer to a one-year term as governor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1846 Vermont gubernatorial election</span> Election

The 1846 Vermont gubernatorial election took place on September 1, 1846, and resulted in the election of Whig Party candidate Horace Eaton to a one-year term as governor.

References

  1. "State Election". The Vermonter. Vergennes, VT. August 30, 1861. p. 2 via Newspapers.com.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Armstrong, Howard E. (1955). Vermont Legislative Directory and State Manual. Montpelier, VT: Vermont Secretary of State. p. 274 via Google Books.
  3. Hand, Samuel B. (2003). "Mountain Rule Revisited" (PDF). Vermont History. Montpelier, VT: Vermont Historical Society. pp. 140, 143.
  4. "The Union People's Convention". The Daily Journal. Montpelier, VT. August 22, 1861. p. 3 via Newspapers.com.
  5. Dell, Christopher (1975). Lincoln and the War Democrats: The Grand Erosion of Conservative Tradition. Teaneck, NJ: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press. p. 109. ISBN   978-0-8386-1466-2 via Google Books.
  6. "Legislative Proceedings: The House, October 15". The Weekly Times. Burlington, VT. October 19, 1861. p. 5 via Newspapers.com.
  7. Walton; E. P., eds. (October 18, 1861). "Who Will Be Governor?". Watchman & State Journal. Montpelier, VT. p. 1 via Newspapers.com.
  8. Howard, S. Jr., ed. (October 25, 1861). "Gov. Holbrook Took the Oath of Office on Tuesday". Lamoille Newsdealer. Hyde Park, VT. p. 2 via Newspapers.com.