Urban A. Woodbury

Urban Andrain Woodbury (July 11, 1838 – April 15, 1915) was an American Civil War veteran, an entrepreneur and a U.S. politician of the Republican Party. He served as mayor of Burlington, 37th lieutenant governor, and as the 45th governor of Vermont.

Urban A. Woodbury
Official Vermont State House portrait
45th Governor of Vermont
In office October 4, 1894 – October 8, 1896
Lieutenant	Zophar M. Mansur
Preceded by	Levi K. Fuller
Succeeded by	Josiah Grout
37th Lieutenant Governor of Vermont
In office October 4, 1888 – October 2, 1890
Governor	William P. Dillingham
Preceded by	Levi K. Fuller
Succeeded by	Henry A. Fletcher
9th Mayor of Burlington, Vermont
In office 1885–1887
Preceded by	George H. Morse
Succeeded by	William W. Henry
Personal details
Born	Urban Andrain Woodbury (1838-07-11)July 11, 1838 Acworth, New Hampshire
Died	April 15, 1915(1915-04-15) (aged 76) Burlington, Vermont
Resting place	Lakeview Cemetery Burlington, Vermont
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Paulina L. Darling
Children	6
Alma mater	University of Vermont
Profession	Businessman
Military service
Allegiance	United States of America (Union) Vermont
Branch/service	Union Army Vermont Militia
Years of service	1861–1865 (Army) 1882-1884 (Militia)
Rank	Captain (Army) Colonel (Militia)
Unit	Company H, 2nd Vermont Infantry Company D, 11th Vermont Infantry Veteran Reserve Corps Staff of Governor John L. Barstow
Battles/wars	American Civil War First Battle of Bull Run

Prewar life

Woodbury was born in Acworth, New Hampshire, on July 11, 1838, the son of Albert M. and Lucy L. (Wadleigh) Woodbury, natives of Cavendish, Vermont. He was raised in Morristown and Morrisville, Vermont from the age of two, and attended the public schools of Morristown, and Peoples Academy in Morrisville. Woodbury intended on a career as a physician and attended the medical department of the University of Vermont, from which he graduated in 1859. He never practiced medicine because he decided to enlist in the Union Army for the American Civil War.

Civil War

Woodbury enlisted on May 25, 1861, and mustered in as 1st Sergeant of Company H, 2nd Vermont Infantry on June 20. He fought at the July 21 First Battle of Bull Run, where he lost his right arm after being struck by a fragment from an exploding artillery shell, thus becoming Vermont's first Empty Sleeve. Woodbury was captured, and after nearly three months in prison in Richmond, Virginia, he was paroled on October 5, 1861. He was discharged on account of wounds on October 18.

In November 1862, Woodbury accepted a commission as a captain and was assigned as commander of Company D, 11th Vermont Infantry. He transferred to the Veteran Reserve Corps on June 17, 1863, and resigned from the service March 27, 1865.

Postwar life

Woodbury's Van Ness House, built in 1870, once the largest hotel in Burlington.

After returning from the war, Woodbury settled in Burlington and engaged in the lumber and hotel businesses. For 19 years he was manager of the Booth Lumber Company of Burlington, and for 35 years owner and proprietor of the Van Ness House, a hotel he enlarged twice, enabling it to accommodate 400 guests. At the time of his death he was president of the Mead Manufacturing Company, the Crystal Confectionery Company, and the Queen City Cotton Company.

A Republican, he was elected alderman in Burlington's 2nd Ward in 1881 and 1882, and he was president of the board in his second year. From 1884 to 1886, he served as a colonel on the staff of Governor John L. Barstow. He was mayor of Burlington in 1885 and 1886, and lieutenant governor from 1888 to 1890, under Governor William P. Dillingham. He served as governor from 1894 to 1896. In 1898, he was appointed by President William McKinley to a commission led by General Grenville Dodge, which investigated the conduct of the War Department in the Spanish–American War.

Woodbury was active in Freemasonry and attained the 32nd degree of the Scottish Rite. His other fraternal associations included Freemasonry, IOOF, Grand Army of the Republic, Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, Sons of the American Revolution, and Knights of Pythias. Woodbury was also an early member of the Green Mountain Club which was established at a meeting in the Van Ness House in 1910.

Death and burial

Woodbury became ill in early 1915, and in February he traveled to the Battle Creek Sanitarium in Michigan to seek a cure. He had several strokes soon after beginning a course of treatment, and after it was clear he would not recover, Woodbury asked to be brought back to Burlington so he could pass his final days at his own home. He died in Burlington on April 15, 1915. Woodbury was buried at Lakeview Cemetery in Burlington.

Family

On February 12, 1860, Woodbury married Paulina L. Darling, daughter of Ira and Sarah Darling of Elmore, Vermont. They were the parents of six children: Charles, Minnie, Gertrude, Edward, Lila, and Mildred. Gertrude Woodbury (1872-1962) was the wife of George M. Powers, who served as an associate justice of the Vermont Supreme Court.

Sources

• Benedict, G. G., Vermont in the Civil War. A History of the part taken by the Vermont Soldiers And Sailors in the War For The Union, 1861–65, Burlington, VT: The Free Press Association, 1888, i:77, 83; ii:343.
• "Ex-Gov. U. A. Woodbury Prominently Identified With Business Interests of Burlington," Bennington (VT) Banner, April 17, 1915
• "Last Honors Paid, Funeral of the Late Governor Woodbury Held Sunday," Bennington (VT) Banner, April 20, 1915
• Peck, Theodore S., compiler, Revised Roster of Vermont Volunteers and lists of Vermonters Who Served in the Army and Navy of the United States During the War of the Rebellion, 1861–66. Montpelier, VT.: Press of the Watchman Publishing Co., 1892, pp. 56, 424, 733.
• Urban Andrain Woodbury at National Governors Association

See also

• Vermont in the Civil War