Caledonia

FLETCHER, Charles B. & Isaac

Vermont Historical Magazine, No XI, October 1867, pp 350-352 (extracted from 
a section on the history of Lyndon, Caledonia County)

Biography of Isaac FLETCHER - pp 351-352 (father of Charles B.)
Isaac FLETCHER, an educated man and a well-read lawyer who came to town 
[Lyndon, Caledonia County, Vermont], was a native of Massachusetts and a 
graduate of Dartmouth College. After receiving his diploma he taught in the 
Academy at Chesterfield [Cheshire County], New Hampshire, and there formed an 
acquaintance with Miss Abigail STONE, his future wife, and read law with Mr. 
VOSE of New Hampshire and Judge WHITE of Putney [Windham County, Vermont]. 
He possessed an ardent temperament, with an ambition to equal, if not excel 
his competitors; prompt, energetic and unremitting in his efforts for his 
clients, he soon attained a good reputation and an extensive and lucrative 
practice, competing successfully with the most noted of the bar in the state, 
giants of their time. In doing this he overwrought both his bodily and 
mental powers, participating in the trial of almost every cause in the 
supreme courts in Caledonia, Orleans, and Essex Counties, and being eight 
years in succession state's attorney of Caledonia County, from early morn to 
a late evening hour, while attending court, being thronged with clients, or 
pressed with business; and when it was the period of repose for others, it 
came his time for genial social intercourse, which he greatly relished, 
endowed with kindly feelings, and greatly needing relaxation from his severe 
labors.

In addition to his ordinary labors was the care at different periods of some 
thirty students, some of these however lightening his burdens by assistance 
in writing and ordinary office business. He also entered the political 
arena, first in the house of representatives of the general assembly of the 
state, to which he was elected four times, and at the last session he was 
chosen speaker of that body. He was twice selected member of congress, but 
his health failing him from over exertion and mental and bodily prostration, 
he could not distinguish himself as he did in his profession, nor as his 
native talents and learning would entitle himself and friends to anticipate; 
yet when others would have been negligent, he was constant and faithful in 
his duty to the end of his term. His motto seemed to be to do with all his 
might whatever he had to do. He acquired his military title by being 
appointed adjutant general in the staff of Governor VAN NESS. He [Isaac 
FLETCHER] died in October 1842, the year after the close of his congressional 
term, literally worn out, aged fifty-eight. Less ambition and less labor 
would probably have saved him many years to his family, his friends, and the 
world. His [Isaac FLETCHER's] only son was Charles B. FLETCHER.



Biography of Charles B. FLETCHER - pp 350, 352 (only son of Isaac)

Charles B. FLETCHER, only son of Isaac FLETCHER, was a young man of brilliant 
intellect, who was necessarily with his father most of his congressional 
course, and became well posted in matters of state, succeeded to his father's 
business in the office with Mr. BARTLETT, his late partner, and remained at 
Lyndon [Caledonia County, Vermont], a year or two, afterwards removed to 
Nashua [Hillsborough County], New Hampshire, and then to Boston [Suffolk 
County], Massachusetts, to practice law with his father-in-law, Mr. FARLEY, a 
distinguished lawyer there; but he returned to Lyndon in 1852, with 
consumption, and died soon after, aged thirty-four. [The foregoing is from 
page 352; and from page 350, "Charles B. FLETCHER was a graduate of the 
Catholic College, Montreal, Canada East," Province of Quebec. He is counted 
among the "honored dead of the Lyndon graduation."]

Submitted by Cathy Kubly