Willard W. Miles Explained

Willard W. Miles
Office1:Associate Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court
Term Start1:1917
Term End1:1923
Predecessor1:John H. Watson
Successor1:Fred M. Butler
Term Start2:1905
Term End2:1906
Predecessor2:Henry R. Start
Successor2:None (position eliminated)
Office3:Chief Judge of the Vermont Superior Court
Term Start3:1909
Term End3:1917
Predecessor3:George M. Powers
Successor3:Eleazer L. Waterman
Office4:Judge of the Vermont Superior Court
Term Start4:1906
Term End4:1917
Predecessor4:None (position created)
Successor4:Stanley C. Wilson
Office5:Member of the Vermont Senate
Term Start5:1894
Term End5:1896
Alongside5:Charles L. Erwin
Constituency5:Orleans County
Predecessor5:Josiah Grout, Amory Davison
Successor5:Joseph B. Holton, William E. Curtis
Office6:State's Attorney of Orleans County, Vermont
Term Start6:1890
Term End6:1894
Predecessor6:Frank E. Alfred
Successor6:Orien S. Annis
Office7:Member of the Vermont House of Representatives
Term Start7:1904
Term End7:1904
Constituency7:Barton
Predecessor7:Harley T. Seaver
Successor7:James E. Turnbull
Term Start8:1878
Term End8:1880
Constituency8:Craftsbury
Predecessor8:Charles C. Hoyt
Successor8:Richard B. Skinner
Term Start9:1872
Term End9:1874
Constituency9:Albany
Predecessor9:Enoch Rowell
Successor9:John F. Tenney
Birth Date:6 February 1845
Birth Place:Albany, Vermont, U.S.
Death Place:Barton, Vermont, U.S.
Resting Place:Welcome O. Brown Cemetery, Barton, Vermont, U.S.
Party:Republican
Spouse:Ellen M. Dow (m. 1872)
Relations:Frank D. Thompson (son in law)
Children:4
Profession:Attorney

Willard W. Miles (February 6, 1845 – May 13, 1926) was a Vermont attorney and judge. He was most notable for his service as an associate justice of the Vermont Supreme Court from 1905 to 1906, and again from 1917 to 1923.

Early life

Willard Wesbery Miles was born in Albany, Vermont on February 6, 1845, the son of Orin and Eunice (Clark) Miles. He was educated in Albany, and attended academies in Barnston and Hatley, Quebec.

Start of career

Miles taught school in Albany and Craftsbury, and studied law with attorneys Charles I. Vail and William W. Grout. He was admitted to the bar in 1872, and practiced in Albany and Craftsbury. A Republican, he held local office in both towns, including serving as school superintendent in Albany in 1867 and Craftsbury in 1876, and Craftsbury Town Clerk from 1875 to 1881. From 1872 to 1874 he represented Albany in the Vermont House of Representatives, and he represented Craftsbury in the Vermont House from 1878 to 1880.

In 1881, he moved to Barton, where he practiced law in partnership with Grout. When Grout retired in 1888 in order to devote full time to his duties as a member of the United States House of Representatives, Miles continued the practice on his own.

From 1890 to 1894, Miles served as State's Attorney of Orleans County, and from 1894 to 1896 he represented Orleans County in the Vermont Senate.

In 1904, Miles was elected to represent Barton in the Vermont House; when Clarke C. Fitts resigned as a Representative to become Vermont Attorney General, Miles took his place as chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.

Career as a judge

Miles served in the Vermont House until 1905, when he was appointed as an associate justice of the Vermont Supreme Court. He served until 1906, when a newly–enacted law reduced the size of the court and eliminated his seat.

When his position on the Supreme Court was eliminated, Miles was appointed a judge of the Vermont Superior Court. He served in this position until 1917, when he was again appointed to the state Supreme Court. He served as an associate justice until 1923, when he retired. He was succeeded on the court by Fred M. Butler.

Retirement and death

In retirement, Miles continued to reside in Barton. He died there on May 13, 1926, and was buried at Welcome O. Brown Cemetery in Barton.

Family

In 1872, Miles married Ellen M. Dow. They were the parents of daughters Ida M. (1873–1969), Mabel A. (1875–1940), and Dorothy E. (1895–1895), and son Orin L. (1879–1888).

Mabel Augusta Miles was the wife of Frank D. Thompson (1876–1940), who served as an associate justice of the Vermont Supreme Court. Thompson was the son of Laforrest H. Thompson, who also served on the state Supreme Court.

Sources

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