Charles Manley Smith

Charles Manley Smith
Charles Manley Smith
63rd Governor of Vermont
	In office; January 10, 1935 – January 7, 1937
Lieutenant	George Aiken
Preceded by	Stanley C. Wilson
Succeeded by	George Aiken
59th Lieutenant Governor of Vermont
	In office; 1933–1935
Governor	Stanley C. Wilson
Preceded by	Benjamin Williams
Succeeded by	George Aiken
Member of the Vermont House of Representatives
	In office; 1931–1933
Member of the Vermont Senate
	In office; 1927–1929
Personal details
Born	August 3, 1868; West Rutland, Vermont
Died	August 12, 1937 (aged 69); Rutland, Vermont
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Mary A. Stark (1864 -- 1935)
Children	Dorothy Smith Mathews, Charlotte Smith Nicolet, Stark Smith
Profession	Banker

Charles Manley Smith (August 3, 1868 – August 12, 1937) was an American politician from Vermont. He served as the 59th lieutenant governor of Vermont from 1933 to 1935 and 63rd governor of Vermont from 1935 to 1937.

Life and career

Smith was born in West Rutland, Vermont, on August 3, 1868. He graduated from Dartmouth College in 1891^[2] and served as private secretary to former Vermont Governor Redfield Proctor when Proctor was Secretary of War.^[3]

Active in banking and insurance, Smith became President of Marble Savings Bank in 1920.^[4]

A Republican, Smith served in the Vermont State Senate from 1927 to 1929.^[5] He was a member of the Vermont House of Representatives from 1931 to 1933, and was Ways and Means Committee Chairman.^[6] He served as Lieutenant Governor from 1933 to 1935.^[7]

Smith was elected Governor in 1934 and served from 1935 to 1937.^[8] During his administration, the state legislature approved old age pension and unemployment compensation laws.^[9]

In December, 1936 Smith and other Marble Bank officials were charged with fraud for failing to inform account holders and authorities about an embezzlement. In May, 1932 Smith had learned that his bank's bookkeeper had stolen $251,000. Smith let him leave quietly, kept the theft secret, and charged the loss against the bank's surplus.^[10]^[11]^[12]

In July, 1935 the bookkeeper was named Rutland's Assistant City Treasurer and planned a candidacy for Treasurer. To prevent this, his opponents leaked word of the theft to the press. The bookkeeper was convicted and jailed, and the bank Treasurer received a suspended sentence and a $400 fine. Charges against most other parties were dismissed, and Smith was acquitted at his trial.^[13]

Personal life

Smith married Mary Aurelia Stark and they had three children.

In 1936, Smith was injured in a car accident and his health began to decline. He became ill in June 1937 and died on August 12, just eight months after leaving office.^[14]^[15] He is interred at Evergreen Cemetery, Rutland, Vermont.^[16]

References

^ Hartford Courant, Obituary, Mrs. Charles M. Smith, February 24, 1935
^ Alpha Delta Phi fraternity, Catalogue By Alpha Delta Phi, 1899, page 381
^ New York Times, Mrs. Charles M. Smith; Wife of Governor of Vermont Succumbs at Age of 71, February 21, 1935
^ American Bankers Association, Journal of the American Bankers Association, Volume 13, 1920, page 35
^ American Legislators' Association, State government, Volumes 9-10, 1936, page 239
^ Vermont House of Representatives, List of Ways & Means Committee Chairmen since 1900, 2005
^ Vermont State Archives and Records Administration Archived April 15, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, Lieutenant Governors Terms of Service, 2011, page 2
^ Vermont Secretary of State, Vermont Governors, Terms of Service, 2011
^ "Charles M. Smith". National Governors Association. Retrieved November 19, 2012.
^ New York Times, Vermont Governor Held in Bank Case, December 1, 1936
^ Hartford Courant, Gov. Smith Is Released On Bank Charge, December 2, 1936
^ New York Times, Gov. Smith Rearrested, December 29, 1936
^ New York Times, Three Vermont Bankers Cleared, April 27, 1937
^ New York Times, Ex-Gov. C. M. Smith of Vermont Dies, August 13, 1937
^ Vermont Death Records, 1909-2008 Record for Charles Manley Smith, accessed via Ancestry.com, April 30, 2012
^ Vermont Old Cemetery Association, accessed November 17, 2017

External links

Party political offices
Preceded by Stanley C. Wilson	Republican nominee for Governor of Vermont 1934	Succeeded by George Aiken
Political offices
Preceded by Benjamin Williams	Lieutenant Governor of Vermont 1933–1935	Succeeded by George Aiken
Preceded by Stanley C. Wilson	Governor of Vermont 1935–1937	Succeeded by George D. Aiken

[1] Hartford Courant, Obituary, Mrs. Charles M. Smith, February 24, 1935

[2] Alpha Delta Phi fraternity, Catalogue By Alpha Delta Phi, 1899, page 381

[3] New York Times, Mrs. Charles M. Smith; Wife of Governor of Vermont Succumbs at Age of 71, February 21, 1935

[4] American Bankers Association, Journal of the American Bankers Association, Volume 13, 1920, page 35

[5] American Legislators' Association, State government, Volumes 9-10, 1936, page 239

[6] Vermont House of Representatives, List of Ways & Means Committee Chairmen since 1900, 2005

[7] Vermont State Archives and Records Administration Archived April 15, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, Lieutenant Governors Terms of Service, 2011, page 2

[8] Vermont Secretary of State, Vermont Governors, Terms of Service, 2011

[9] "Charles M. Smith". National Governors Association. Retrieved November 19, 2012.

[10] New York Times, Vermont Governor Held in Bank Case, December 1, 1936

[11] Hartford Courant, Gov. Smith Is Released On Bank Charge, December 2, 1936

[12] New York Times, Gov. Smith Rearrested, December 29, 1936

[13] New York Times, Three Vermont Bankers Cleared, April 27, 1937

[14] New York Times, Ex-Gov. C. M. Smith of Vermont Dies, August 13, 1937

[15] Vermont Death Records, 1909-2008 Record for Charles Manley Smith, accessed via Ancestry.com, April 30, 2012

[16] Vermont Old Cemetery Association, accessed November 17, 2017

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v t e Governors of Vermont
Vermont Republic (1777–1791)	Chittenden Robinson Chittenden
State of Vermont (since 1791)	Chittenden Brigham Tichenor I. Smith Tichenor Galusha M. Chittenden Galusha Skinner Van Ness Butler Crafts Palmer Jennison Paine Mattocks Slade Eaton Coolidge Williams E. Fairbanks Robinson Royce Fletcher Hall E. Fairbanks Holbrook G. Smith P. Dillingham Page Washburn Hendee Stewart Converse Peck H. Fairbanks R. Proctor Sr. Farnham Barstow Pingree Ormsbee W.P. Dillingham Page Fuller Woodbury Grout E. Smith Stickney McCullough Bell F. Proctor Prouty Mead Fletcher Gates Graham Clement Hartness R. Proctor Jr. Billings Weeks Wilson C. Smith Aiken Wills M. Proctor Gibson Arthur Emerson Johnson Stafford Keyser Hoff Davis Salmon Snelling Kunin Snelling Dean Douglas Shumlin Scott
Italics indicate acting governor

v t e Lieutenant governors of Vermont
Vermont Republic (1777–1791)	Marsh Carpenter Payne Spooner Marsh Olcott
State of Vermont (since 1791)	Hunt Brigham Chamberlain Brigham Cahoon Leland Olin Richards Egerton Jennison Camp Ranney Eaton Sargeant Pierpoint Converse Kittredge Kidder Fletcher Slade Martin Underwood Dillingham Gardner Thomas Hendee Dale Taft Hinckley R. Proctor Colton Barstow Pingree Ormsbee Fuller Woodbury Fletcher Stranahan Mansur Fisk Bates Allen Stanton Stearns Prouty Mead Slack Howe Darling Hulburd Stone A. Foote Billings Farnsworth Jackson Wilson Williams C. Smith Aiken Wills M. Proctor Emerson Arthur Johnson Bailey Stafford Babcock R. Foote Daley Hayes Burgess Burns Buckley Kunin P. Smith Dean Snelling Racine Dubie Scott Zuckerman Gray Zuckerman Rodgers (elect)
Italics indicate acting governor

Authority control databases
International	ISNI VIAF WorldCat
National	United States Netherlands
Artists	ULAN
Other	SNAC