Frederick Holbrook

Frederick Holbrook
Born	Template:Birth date East Windsor, Connecticut, U.S.
Died	April 28, 1909(1909-04-28) (aged 96) Brattleboro, Vermont, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Agriculturist, entrepreneur, politician
Years active	1830s–1909
Known for	27th Governor of Vermont (1861–1863)

Frederick Holbrook (February 15, 1813 – April 28, 1909) was a prominent American agriculturist, entrepreneur, and the 27th Governor of Vermont, serving from 1861 to 1863. Originally affiliated with the Whig Party, he transitioned to the Republican Party and was instrumental in organizing Vermont’s contributions during the Civil War.

Holbrook was born in East Windsor, Connecticut, to Sarah (Knowlton) Holbrook and John Holbrook, a noted publisher. He was also the grandson of Luke Knowlton through his maternal line. Raised in Vermont, he received his education at Berkshire Gymnasium in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, before establishing himself as a farmer and businessman in Brattleboro. His public service included a brief period in the militia and holding the office of Register of Probate for Marlboro District between 1848 and 1861. Additionally, he represented Windham County in the Vermont Senate from 1849 to 1850.

With the emergence of the Republican Party in the mid-1850s, Holbrook aligned with its principles and secured election as governor in 1861, winning reelection in 1862. His administration, during the Civil War era, oversaw Vermont’s extensive support for the Union cause by organizing more than ten infantry regiments. Adhering to the Republican Mountain Rule tradition, he declined to run again in 1863.

Following his gubernatorial service, Holbrook concentrated on his business interests in Brattleboro. He held leadership roles such as president of Vermont Savings Bank and chairman of the board of trustees at the Vermont Asylum for the Insane. He died in Brattleboro on April 28, 1909, and was buried at Prospect Hill Cemetery.

Early life

Born on February 15, 1813, in East Windsor, Connecticut, Holbrook was the son of Sarah (Knowlton) Holbrook and John Holbrook, a distinguished publisher and businessman. His maternal grandfather was Luke Knowlton. Raised primarily in Brattleboro, Vermont, he attended Berkshire Gymnasium located in Pittsfield, Massachusetts for two years before relocating to Boston. There, he spent two years as a partner in the Richardson, Lord and Holbrook bookstore.

In 1833, Holbrook undertook extensive travels across Europe. Upon returning that same year, he settled permanently in Brattleboro where he pursued farming. He also enlisted with Brattleboro’s militia unit known as the Floodwood Company, eventually being elected captain and leading it for several years during the mid-1830s.

An accomplished vocalist, Holbrook sang with Boston’s Handel and Haydn Society choir under Lowell Mason’s direction. After moving to Brattleboro, he contributed as a bass singer and choir director at the Centre Congregational Church for over four decades. In 1840, he played a key role in founding the Windham County Society for the Promotion of Sacred Music.

Continued career

Drawing on agricultural techniques observed during his European travels, Holbrook authored articles advocating innovative farming practices. On his own farm, he conducted experiments and developed tools such as an all-steel plow. Throughout the 1850s, he served as associate editor for New England Farmer magazine.

Holbrook’s pursuits extended beyond agriculture into various business enterprises. During the 1830s, alongside Franklin H. Fessenden, he managed the Holbrook & Fessenden paper mill—originally established by family investors—until selling it to the Typographic Company. In 1851, he was among the founding incorporators of the Wantastiquet Railroad Company aimed at linking Windham County communities with major rail networks. The following year, he contributed to revitalizing the Brattleboro Railroad charter to connect Brattleboro with railroads extending into eastern New York.

Political career

Initially aligned with the Whig party and subsequently with the Republicans, Holbrook engaged actively in politics. He occupied various local positions such as town lister and acted as Marlboro’s register of probate from 1847 until 1861. Holbrook represented Windham County in the Vermont Senate during 1849–1850, where he led a special committee on agriculture that advocated for the creation of a national agricultural bureau, a forerunner to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In 1851, he helped establish the Vermont State Agricultural Society and served as its president through 1859.

Governor of Vermont

Holbrook’s prominence grew due to his leadership in the state agricultural society, which contributed significantly to his election as Vermont’s Republican governor in 1861. He won decisively, securing 33,152 votes compared to Andrew Tracy’s 5,722. In 1862, he was reelected by a wide margin, receiving 29,543 votes against Benjamin H. Smalley’s 3,772.

His governorship coincided with the pivotal period of the American Civil War, during which he managed the enlistment of ten infantry regiments, two artillery batteries, and three sharpshooter units. Under his direction, three military hospitals were established in Vermont, noted by U.S. medical inspectors for their outstanding recovery rates.

After the September 1862 Battle of Antietam, Holbrook proposed to President Abraham Lincoln that the federal government request an additional 500,000 troops. He pledged that Vermont would advance funds for its portion and expected other Union states to follow suit. This proposal enabled Lincoln to obtain a formal appeal from all Union governors—coordinated by Holbrook and Provost Marshal General Simeon Draper—which led to a call for 300,000 soldiers. Lincoln commended Holbrook’s practical wartime counsel as more valuable than advice from Washington’s political circles.

In his second inaugural address in October 1862, Holbrook emphasized Vermont’s enthusiastic volunteerism: "At each call of our country... thousands of young men... have eagerly seized arms and gone forth to battle for the Union."

Retirement

Upon completing two gubernatorial terms, Holbrook chose not to pursue further elected positions but continued contributing to public affairs through appointments such as his 1870 role on the state Board of Agriculture, Manufactures and Mining. He returned to his agricultural and business endeavors, including serving as president of the Vermont Savings Bank. Additionally, he chaired the board of trustees for the Vermont Asylum for the Insane for over four decades. In 1868, Cornell University appointed him as a nonresident professor of Mechanics Applied to Agriculture, a position requiring him to deliver twenty lectures annually.

Death

Holbrook passed away at his residence in Brattleboro on April 28, 1909. He was interred at Prospect Hill Cemetery. His funeral was attended by prominent figures including former governors Ebenezer J. Ormsbee, John G. McCullough, Samuel E. Pingree, and Fletcher D. Proctor. Among the pallbearers was James Manning Tyler.

Family

In 1835, Holbrook married Harriet Goodhue; they had three sons: Franklin F., William C., and John.

Franklin F. Holbrook (1837–1916) acted as Vermont’s military agent at the U.S. Department of War with the rank of colonel during his father’s governorship and later ran a farm implement manufacturing business based in Boston.

William C. Holbrook (1842–1904) served with Vermont Infantry units during the Civil War before attending Harvard Law School; he practiced law in New York City and served as a judge in its court of special sessions.

John C. Holbrook (1852–1901) was involved in business activities in Houtzdale, Pennsylvania.

Legacy

Holbrook was honored with several honorary degrees in recognition of his achievements: a Master of Arts awarded by the University of Vermont in 1851 and Dartmouth College in 1862, as well as an LL.D. conferred by Norwich University in 1899.

The Deacon John Holbrook House, constructed by his father during the 1820s in Brattleboro, endures as a historic site and has been included on the National Register of Historic Places since the 1980s.

See also

• Vermont in the American Civil War

Sources

• Dodge, Prentiss C., compiler. Encyclopedia Vermont Biography, Burlington, VT: Ullery Publishing Company, 1912, p. 40.
• Ullery, Jacob G., Men of Vermont: An Illustrated Biographical History of Vermonters and Sons of Vermont, Brattleboro, VT: Transcript Publishing Company, 1894, Part II, pp. 198–200.
• Frederick Holbrook at National Governors Association