Orange

GLEASON, Samuel Mills

Orange - Men of Vermont: Illustrated Biographical History of Vermonters & 
Sons of Vermont. Ullery. Brattleboro: Transcript Publishing Company, 1894, pp 
158-159 (portrait p 158)

Samuel Mills GLEASON, of Thetford, was born 28 June 1833 at Thetford [Orange 
County, Vermont], son of Richard Mills and Harriet (MOXLEY) GLEASON. He was 
fitted for college at Thetford Academy, under Hiram ORCUTT, and graduated at 
Dartmouth College in 1858. He read law with Cornelius W. CLARKE, Esq., of 
Chelsea [Orange County], and was admitted to the bar in 1861. He at once 
commenced the practice of law at Thetford Center, where he has continued ever 
since. He is one of the best known and most successful lawyers of this 
section. He was state's attorney in 1864 and 1865, and again in 1868 and 
1869. While acting in that capacity he conducted successfully many important 
criminal cases. In the long contested chancery case of BICKNELL and POLLARD 
against the Vermont Copper Mining Company, supposed to involve the sum of a 
half million dollars, he was associated with Hon. John W. ROWELL, and argued 
the case for an entire day before the general term of the Supreme Court, 
receiving the congratulations of Chief Justice PIERPOINT. In 1883 he was 
appointed receiver of all the immense mining and other property in 
controversy (in the suits against the Vermont Copper Mining Company, Vermont 
Copper Company, and Ely GODDARD & CAZIN) which was once valued at more than a 
million dollars, and he has successfully discharged that trust.

Represented Thetford in the Legislature in 1874 and 1865; was senator in 
1880; is one of the trustees of Thetford Academy, and of the State Normal 
School at Randolph; was a director and attorney of the West Fairlee Savings 
Bank; elected in 1893 a trustee of the Bradford Savings Bank and Trust 
Company; in 1880 appointed by Gov. FARNHAM chairman of the board of railroad 
commissioners for two years, and filled this responsible position to the 
satisfaction of the public as well as of the railroad companies; has been 
town clerk many years; elected judge of probate for the district of Bradford 
in Orange County, in September 1886, by a large majority, and later by every 
vote of both political parties in the district, which office he now holds. 
He is a man universally esteemed for his many estimable qualities. On 19 May 
1862 Judge [Samuel Mills GLEASON] married Sarah Lysenbee, daughter of Dr. 
Enoch Hilton and Arvilla Smith (BROWN) PILLSBURY, of Hubbardston [Worcester 
County], Massachusetts. [Submitter has assumed that Lysenbee and Smith are 
not surnames.]

Submitted by Cathy Kubly