Caledonia

MATTOCKS, John

Vermont Historical Magazine, No. XI, October 1867, pp 367-370
(Extracted from a section on the history of Peacham, Caledonia County, 
Vermont; edited by submitter; authored by Rev. T. GOODWILLIE of Barnet, who 
"knew him, but not intimately until the last years of his life")

Hon. John MATTOCKS was born 04 March 1777 at Hartford [Hartford County], 
Connecticut. His father, who was treasurer of the state of Vermont from 1786 
to 1801, came with his family about 1778 or 1779, and settled at Tinmouth, 
Rutland County, Vermont. His youngest son [John, the subject] became the 
fourteenth Governor of Vermont. Having been admitted to practice law before 
he was twenty-one years of age, he opened an office in Danville, Caledonia 
County, and began practice in 1797; the next year removed to Peacham, 
Caledonia County, where he resided until his death. In a few years he became 
a celebrated lawyer, and ultimately a very popular man, being elected to 
every office for which he was a candidate. He was one of the great men of 
Caledonia County, one of the eminent men of the state of Vermont; practiced 
law about fifty years, most of the time in the courts of four counties; 
represented Peacham in the state Legislature 1807, 1815, 1816, 1823, 1824; 
member of constitutional convention 1835, when the measure for a state senate 
was adopted, which he advocated; during the last war with Great Britain was 
brigadier general of militia in this part of the state; judge of the supreme 
court of the state 1833 and 1834, but declined a re-election on account of 
domestic afflictions; was representative to congress from Vermont 1821-1823, 
1825-1827, 1841-43; was governor of Vermont 1843-1844.

He did not receive a liberal education, but was a self-educated man. "My 
brother," said he, "rode through college to the law, but I came up afoot." 
He was characterized by vigor, vivacity and activity of mind, a ready and 
retentive memory, lively feelings and a humorous disposition. A book which a 
good lawyer would take a number of days to master thoroughly for practical 
purposes, he could devour and digest in a day. His talent for appropriating 
the contents of books enabled him, though altogether a practical man, to 
obtain a tolerable knowledge of standard English and current literature of 
the day, and a considerable acquaintance with history. His style was direct 
and forcible, as seen in his judicial opinions, using few words to convey his 
thoughts. His concentration of mind and power of analysis and illustration 
were so great that he had an admirable faculty of presenting facts and points 
in a clear and convincing manner.

In stature he was about five feet ten inches high, with a large robust frame 
inclined to corpulency, but with a very healthy appearance. His great and 
universally acknowledged power as a lawyer was advocacy before a jury. He 
had not a copious flow of fine words, "like flaxseed running out of a bag" to 
use one of his own comparisons with respect to flowery pleading and 
preaching. In a familiar and colloquial manner he talked the whole matter 
over with them and he talked his side of the case into them. In a manner 
really ingenious and artful, but apparently frank, fair and artless, he 
convinced them that his client was in the right and out to gain the case. 
When a member of congress and governor of the state he took an early and 
decided stand against human bondage.

At one time when returning from the court at Guildhall, he lodged on Saturday 
night in the town of W., then a new settlement, where they had no public 
worship. The next day he went home through Barnet, intending to worship with 
the Presbyterians in that town, and to hear their venerable minister, Rev. 
David GOODWILLIE, whom he held in high estimation, preach. The next morning 
the sheriff from Barnet arrested him at his residence in Peacham and took him 
to Barnet, to be tried upon a charge of violating the law of the state by 
traveling on the Sabbath in prosecution of his secular affairs. [When he got 
to the church in Barnet he discovered the minister was preaching elsewhere 
that Sunday. He was then halfway home. The charges were dropped when he 
convinced the jury, which] "contained a number of Presbyterians, strict 
observers of the sanctity of the Sabbath" [that it was better for him to have 
gone home than back to] "the wicked town of W., where there was no church, no 
clergyman, no public worship, no Sabbath, and no religion."

About the time he became governor of the state, I was sent to him by the 
board of trustees of Caledonia County Academy to procure from him a piece of 
land to complete the site for the new academy. When shown what I wanted, he 
instantly gave it as a donation to the academy, although the land was part of 
his mansion garden. After returning to his house, we engaged for some time 
in relating anecdotes, respecting the folly and wickedness of dueling, as a 
member of congress had been lately murdered in a duel.

[Not long after Mr. MATTOCKS had donated the land for the academy, the author 
saw him again.] The shocking death of his youngest son, a college graduate, 
then at home, produced lamentable effects upon his mind and body, which 
lasted as long as he lived, although he recovered from them in a good degree. 
But there is reason to believe that a gracious Presbyterian overruled this 
heart-rending event for his spiritual interest and eternal welfare. At the 
grave of the deceased, he said to the multitude that attended the funeral, 
"With the mangled body of my son, I bury my ambition and love of the world, 
and God grant that they may never revive." Regretting the errors and 
delinquencies of his past life, he settled his worldly affairs, made his 
last will and testament, declined a re-election to the office of governor of 
the state, and joined the Congregational Church of Peacham, of which he 
continued a member until death.

His great success as a lawyer, though his charges were not exorbitant, laid 
the foundation of an ample fortune. Besides the donations bestowed on his 
children after he gave them a liberal education, his property at death was 
valued at $80,000. He died [John MATTOCKS] died 14 August 1847, aged seventy 
years. His funeral was attended by a great concourse of people from 
different and distant parts. Three sons survived him, one of whom became a 
clergyman, another a physician, and a third a lawyer.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly