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 The Supreme Court of Vermont. Gould, that nursery of great lawyers at the beginning of the nineteenth century, in the firstyear of which Mr. Skinner was admitted to the Bar. He came directly to Manches ter and began practice. In the second year of his residence, he was appointed State attorney for Bennington County, and reap pointed until 18 1 3. He afterwards held the office. He was constantly in the service of

the public, judge of probate, representa tive in the Assembly, speaker of the House, member of Congress and gover nor. In 181 5 and 1 816 was elected judge, and in 181 7 Chief Judge, but de clined. After h i s term of service as governor, upon the reorganization of the court in 1825, he was elected Chief Judge, and continued in ser vice until 1829, when he voluntarily retired. His death was oc casioned by injuries received in an acci dent in which he was WILLIAM H. thrown from his car riage. It is a suffi cient tribute to his ability that he was elected Chief of the court with such men as Samuel Prentiss and Stephen Royce assistants. It is written of him: "Intellectually his qualities were of that kind which gained the respect and confidence of mankind rather than immediate admiration. As a lawyer he was noted for the clearness and force with which he presented his cases. He filled the highest places in the State with ability and dignity, and left a reputation of which the town and State may, well be proud." He and his descendants have been

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generous benefactors of the school, library and cemetery of his adopted town. The father of James Fisk died when James was two years old, and left his son without means. When sixteen years of age James enlisted in the American army and served three years. He then married Priscilla West and began farming. When twenty-two years of 1 age, he was elected representative to the General Court o f Massachusetts; soon afterwards he began to preach the doc trines of Universalism. When thirtyfive years of age he removed to Barre in Kt this State and con tinued in the clerical profession for some time. He represented the town in the Gen eral Assembly nine years and served as judge of the county court. He cleared a new farm in the wil derness, studied law and began practice. WALKER. In 1805 he was elect ed representative to Congress, and re-elected, serving four years; after an intermission of two years he was again elected, and in 18 12 was a staunch supporter of the war with Great Britain. In 181 5 he was elected judge and served two years, when he was elected United States senator. The following year he re signed to accept the appointment of collec tor of customs in the Vermont District, and in 18 19 removed from Barre to Swanton, where he resided for the most part during the remainder of his life. In June, 1812, he was offered by President Madison the