Gov. Urban Andrain Woodbury

About

URBAN ANDRAIN WOODBURY was born in Acworth, New Hampshire. After graduating from the Medical School of the University of Vermont, he enlisted in the Vermont Volunteers. Serving during the Civil War, he lost his right arm in the First Battle of Bull Run and was taken prisoner. Paroled in October, 1861, he returned to the Vermont Volunteers and later became a Captain in the Veteran Reserve Corps. As a result of losing his arm, he abandoned a medical career in favor of going into business. He managed a lumber company in Burlington, Vermont for many years and was president and principal owner of both the Mead Manufacturing Company and the Crystal Confectionery Company. In 1882 and 1883 he was a Burlington city alderman and became the city’s mayor in 1885. He went on to serve as Lieutenant Governor and then as governor for a single term. During his gubernatorial administration, legislation was enacted to provide free text books for schools. In addition, the governor was empowered to appoint a Board of Library Commissioners, and a State Board of Pharmacy was founded. In 1898, Woodbury was appointed by President William McKinley to a commission to investigate the War Department’s conduct of the war with Spain. He died and was buried at his home in Burlington.

Source

Sobel, Robert, and John Raimo, eds. Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789-1978, Vol. 4. Westport, CT: Meckler Books, 1978. 4 vols.

The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography, Vol. 8. New York: James T. White & Company.

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