John B. Page
John B. Page | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Rutland City, Vermont, U.S. |
| Died | October 24, 1885 (aged 59) Rutland, Vermont, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Businessman, politician |
| Years active | 1849–1884 (business), 1852–1882 (politics) |
| Known for | 30th Governor of Vermont, Vermont State Treasurer |
John Boardman Page (February 25, 1826 – October 24, 1885) was a prominent Vermont businessman and political figure. He held the position of Vermont State Treasurer from 1860 until 1866 and later became the 30th governor of Vermont, serving from 1867 to 1869.
Biography
Born in Rutland City, Vermont on February 25, 1826, Page was the son of William Page and Cynthia Amanda (Hickok) Page. His early education took place in Rutland’s public schools before he attended Burr Seminary in Manchester, Vermont, now known as Burr and Burton Academy.
Business career
Page launched his professional journey at the Bank of Rutland, where his father held the role of cashier. After finishing his studies, he worked as a clerk and teller at the bank. In 1849, when his father advanced to president, Page took over as cashier. He succeeded his father as bank president in 1866 and maintained that role until his retirement in 1884.
He also held partnerships in the Brandon Manufacturing Company, known for producing Howe Scales, and the Sutherland Falls Marble Company, which was eventually absorbed by the Vermont Marble Company. Additionally, Page was involved in the insurance industry as one of the founders of the New England Fire Insurance Company.
In 1852, he contributed to founding the Rutland Savings Bank and acted as its treasurer. His influence extended into transportation; he served as president of the Rutland Railroad, vice president of the Central Vermont Railroad, and was a director or shareholder in numerous regional railroads such as Bennington and Rutland, West Shore, Vermont Valley, Montreal and Plattsburgh, and Plattsburgh and Whitehall. Furthermore, he held a directorship at the Lake Champlain Transportation Company and participated in developing the Caughnawaga Ship Canal project connecting Upstate New York with Vermont and Canada.
Civic activism and philanthropy
Page was an advocate for education reform, promoting consolidation and modernization within Rutland’s school system. He acted as a trustee for Middlebury College and served on the board of Burr and Burton Academy. His civic contributions included organizing Rutland’s volunteer fire department and chairing the committee responsible for establishing the city’s inaugural municipal water supply.
A devout Congregationalist, Page played an active role at Rutland’s Grace Church, where he fulfilled duties as Sunday school superintendent, deacon, and led the building committee overseeing construction projects and improvements beginning in 1860. On a national scale, he supported the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, notably raising over $40,000 within hours—including a personal gift of $5,000—to eliminate its debt and stabilize its finances.
State legislator
From 1852 to 1855, Page represented Rutland in the Vermont House of Representatives. Originally affiliated with the Whig Party, he transitioned to the newly established Republican Party during the mid-1850s.
State treasurer
Page was elected Vermont State Treasurer in 1860 and secured reelection each year through 1865, serving until 1866. During the American Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln appointed him federal allotment commissioner to oversee soldiers’ pay allotments to their families. He managed funding for Vermont’s pro-Union war efforts—including recruitment, training, equipping, and compensating troops—utilizing bond issues and other financial tools. His stewardship of these wartime fiscal responsibilities earned widespread praise.
Governor
Page secured the governorship of Vermont in 1867 and was reelected in 1868, holding office from October 1867 until October 1869. During his administration, he managed the finalization of audits related to Vermont’s Civil War expenditures and ensured proper accounting of wartime finances. He promoted enhanced state funding for local educational institutions and introduced a bill aimed at granting tax exemptions for up to five years to newly established manufacturing enterprises. Following the Republican Party's Mountain Rule, Page chose not to run for another term in 1869.
Later life
Following his tenure as governor, Page resumed his involvement in banking and commercial ventures. Although he declined most political appointments, he served one term in the Vermont House of Representatives from 1880 to 1882 and acted as moderator for Rutland’s village meeting in 1884.
In 1885, Page became embroiled in a prominent legal dispute initiated by the family of Percival W. Clement, principal shareholders of the Rutland Railroad, who claimed $125,000 ($4 million in 2008 dollars) alleging fraudulent activities during Page’s presidency. To cover financial shortfalls, the Bank of Rutland was liquidated, and Howe Scales entered receivership. Page maintained that the fraudulent acts were committed by a bank employee and asserted that he suffered personal monetary losses. Public sentiment initially turned against him but shifted during the four-month trial as evidence surfaced. Ultimately, in May, Page was acquitted and found not responsible; he received a symbolic $1 award for reputational harm inflicted by the railroad’s new proprietors.
Death and burial
Page passed away in Rutland on October 24, 1885. His funeral service at Grace Church featured pallbearers including Redfield Proctor and William Y. W. Ripley. He was interred at Evergreen Cemetery in Rutland.
Family
In 1848, Page wed Mary Ann Reynolds, with whom he had four children: Susan, William, Edward, and Helen. After marrying Harriett Ellen Smith in 1875, his second wife, he fathered an additional four children: Katherine, John, Henrietta, and Margaret.