Leonard Sargeant

Leonard Sargeant (March 17, 1793 – June 18, 1880) was a Vermont politician and lawyer who served as the 15th lieutenant governor of Vermont from 1846 to 1848.

Leonard Sargeant
"Vermont Lawyer," an 1841 painting. Based on analysis of photos at Manchester, Vermont's Masonic Lodge and Court House, the subject is Leonard Sargeant
15th Lieutenant governor of Vermont
In office 1846–1848
Preceded by	Horace Eaton
Succeeded by	Robert Pierpoint
Member of the Vermont Senate from Bennington County
In office 1854–1855 Serving with Norman Millington
Preceded by	John R. Gates, Norman Millington
Succeeded by	Perez Harwood, Barber Thompson
In office 1843–1844 Serving with Benjamin W. Morgan
Preceded by	Josiah Wright, Benjamin W. Morgan
Succeeded by	Asahel Hurd, Benjamin W. Morgan
State's Attorney of Bennington County, Vermont
In office 1834–1837
Preceded by	Milo Lyman Bennett
Succeeded by	Samuel H. Blackmer
Member of the Vermont House of Representatives from Manchester
In office 1841–1842
Preceded by	Aaron Baker
Succeeded by	John S. Pettibone
In office 1836–1837
Preceded by	Aaron Baker
Succeeded by	Aaron Baker
In office 1830–1832
Preceded by	John S. Pettibone
Succeeded by	Aaron Baker
Judge of the Vermont Probate Court's Manchester District
In office 1850–1852
Preceded by	Elias B. Burton
Succeeded by	Harvey K. Fowler
In office 1842–1845
Preceded by	Loring Dean
Succeeded by	Nathan Burton
In office 1829–1831
Preceded by	Milo Lyman Bennett
Succeeded by	Myron Clark
Personal details
Born	(1793-03-17)March 17, 1793 Dorset, Vermont, U.S.
Died	June 18, 1880(1880-06-18) (aged 87) Johnstown, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Resting place	Dellwood Cemetery, Manchester, Vermont, U.S.
Political party	Whig
Spouse	Phoebe Raymond (m. 1824)
Children	4
Occupation	Attorney

Early life

Sargeant was born in Dorset, Vermont on March 17, 1793, a son of dr. John Sargeant and Delight (Bell) Sargeant.^[1][2] He studied law with Richard Skinner, was admitted to the bar, and practiced law in Manchester as Skinner's partner. Sargeant was also a farmer and served as Vice President of the Vermont Agricultural Society.^[3] He served in the War of 1812 as a member of the Vermont Militia company commanded by Abel Richardson.^[4] During the war, Sargeant made use of medical training obtained from his father to nurse sick and wounded soldiers.^[5] He was taken prisoner and held in Canada, where he remained until his father secured his release.^[5] In his later years, Sargeant received a pension for his wartime service.^[6]

He was active in the Whig party, and served in numerous offices including probate judge, state's attorney, postmaster and justice of the peace.^[7] He was a member of the Vermont Council of Censors in 1827, and a delegate to the 1836 Vermont constitutional convention.^{[8][9][10][11]}

His legal career included the noteworthy defense of Stephen and Jesse Boorn, brothers who were convicted and sentenced to life in prison (Jesse) and death (Stephen) for the killing of Russell Colvin, a man missing from Manchester. Several years later Colvin returned to Vermont to prove that he was still alive. He had moved to New Jersey after an altercation with the Boorns and changed his name. The Boorn case is the first known instance of a wrongful conviction for murder in the United States.^[12][13]

Political career

Sargeant served in both the Vermont House of Representatives and Vermont Senate in the 1830s and 1840s.^[14] From 1846 to 1848 he served as Lieutenant Governor.^[15]

After leaving office he practiced law until retiring in the 1870s.

Retirement and death

In retirement Sargeant resided at his daughter's home in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. He died in Johnstown on June 18, 1880 and was buried at Dellwood Cemetery in Manchester.^[16]

References

1. White, Pliny H. (March 11, 1865). "Alumni of Middlebury College: John Sargeant". The Vermont Record. Brattleboro, VT. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
2. Sargent, John S.; Sargent, Aaron (1895). Sargent Genealogy: Hugh Sargent, William Sargeant. Boston, MA: Geo. H. Ellis. p. 69 – via Google Books.
3. Magazine article, Vermont Agricultural and Horticultural Society, The School Journal and Vermont Agriculturist, December 1847, page 121
4. "U.S. War of 1812 Pension Application Files Index, 1812-1815, Entry for Leonard Sargeant". Ancestry.com. Lehi, UT: Ancestry.com LLC. 1871. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
5. Robbins, Mary Utley (September 20, 1923). "Manchester-In-The-Mts.: Some of Its Early Homes and Their Inhabitants". The Manchester Journal. Manchester, VT. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
6. Bigelow, Edwin L. (1961). Manchester, Vermont: A Pleasant Land Among the Mountains, 1761-1961. Manchester, VT: Town of Manchester, Vermont. p. 120 – via Archive.org.
7. Journal of the Senate of the State of Vermont, published by Vermont General Assembly, 1842, page 7
8. History of Vermont, by Zadock Thompson, 1842, page 127
9. Journal of the Convention Holden at Montpelier, on the 6th day of January, 1836, published by J. Spooner, St. Albans, 1836, page 4
10. Vermont Year Book, published by E. P. Walton, Montpelier, 1836, page 103
11. United States Official Postal Guide, published by United States Post Office Department, 1822, page 48
12. America's First Wrongful Murder Conviction Case, Center on Wrongful Convictions, Northwestern University School of Law, accessed January 5, 2011
13. The Trial, Confessions and Conviction of Jesse and Stephen Boorn for the Murder of Russell Colvin, by Leonard Sargeant, 1873
14. The Vermont Historical Gazetteer, edited by Abby Maria Hemenway, Volume 1, 1867, page 202
15. General Election results, Vermont Lieutenant Governor, 1813–2011, Vermont Secretary of State, State Archives and Records Administration, 2011, page 7
16. The Bibliography of Vermont, 1897, page 242

Party political offices
Preceded by Horace Eaton	Whig nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Vermont 1846, 1847	Succeeded by Robert Pierpoint
Political offices
Preceded by Horace Eaton	Lieutenant Governor of Vermont 1846–1848	Succeeded by Robert Pierpoint