Leighton P. Slack
{{Short description|American judge}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Leighton P. Slack
| image = Leighton Prosper Slack.jpg
| caption = From 1904's Successful Vermonters by William H. Jeffrey
| office1 = Associate Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court
| term_start1 = 1919
| term_end1 = 1938
| predecessor1 = Seneca Haselton
| successor1 = Allen R. Sturtevant
| office2 = 48th Lieutenant Governor of Vermont
| term_start2 = 1910
| term_end2 = 1912
| predecessor2 = John A. Mead
| successor2 = Frank E. Howe
|office3 = Member of the Vermont Senate from Caledonia County
|term_start3 = 1904
|term_end3 = 1906
|alongside3 = Herman P. Simpson
|predecessor3 = Preston H. Graves
Truman R. Stiles
|successor3 = William H. Taylor
Stephen D. Morse
|office4 = State's Attorney of Caledonia County, Vermont
|term_start4 = 1898
|term_end4 = 1900
|predecessor4 = William H. Taylor
|successor4 = David E. Porter
| birth_date = {{birth date|1867|06|18|mf=y}}
| birth_place = Woodstock, Vermont, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|1938|03|31|1867|06|18|mf=y}}
| death_place = Montpelier, U.S.
| restingplace = Durant Cemetery, Cabot
| party = Republican
| alma_mater = Black River Academy, Ludlow, Vermont
| spouse = Leah Dwinnell (m. 1899-1938)
| children = 1
| profession = Lawyer
}}
Leighton Prosper Slack (June 18, 1867 – March 31, 1938) was a Vermont attorney and judge. He served as the 48th lieutenant governor of Vermont from 1910 to 1912 and as a justice of the Vermont Supreme Court from 1914 until his death.
Biography
Leighton Prosper Slack was born in Woodstock, Vermont on June 18, 1867.[https://books.google.com/books?id=B31MAAAAMAAJ&dq=%22Leighton+Prosper+Slack+%22&pg=PA56 The Fulham Genealogy], by Volney Sewall Fulham, 1910, page 56[https://books.google.com/books?id=PkYjAQAAMAAJ&dq=leighton+slack+Successful+Vermonters:+a+modern+gazetteer+of+Caledonia,+Essex,+and+Orleans+Counties,+Vermont%5D,+by+William+Hartley+Jeffrey&pg=PA50 Successful Vermonters: A Modern Gazetteer of Caledonia, Essex, and Orleans Counties, Vermont], by William Hartley Jeffrey, 1904, pages 50 to 52 He graduated from Ludlow's Black River Academy and taught school while studying law.[https://books.google.com/books?id=rc-iAAAAMAAJ&dq=%22Leighton+P.+Slack%22&pg=PA78 Manual of the Legislature of Vermont], published by Vermont Watchman Co., Montpelier, 1904, page 78
Slack attained admission to the bar in 1892, and began to practice, first in Barre, and then in St. Johnsbury.[https://books.google.com/books?id=5jk1AAAAIAAJ&dq=%22Slack%2C+Leighton+P.%22&pg=PA978 Who's Who in New England], edited by A. N. Marquis, 1916, page 978 While in St. Johsbury, he first practiced as the partner of Alexander Dunnett.{{cite news |date=September 15, 1920 |title=Demise of Alexander Dunnett |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/404073867/ |work=The Evening Argus |location=Montpelier, VT |url-access=subscription |via=Newspapers.com |page=4 |ref={{sfnRef|"Demise of Alexander Dunnett"}}}}
A Republican, Slack served as St Johnsbury's Village President, Caledonia County State's Attorney from 1898 to 1900 and a member of the Vermont Senate from 1904 to 1906.[https://books.google.com/books?id=tt2_3hTQxFMC&dq=%22Leighton+P.+Slack%22&pg=PA259 Encyclopedia of Vermont Biography], edited by Prentiss Cutler Dodge, 1912, page 313
In 1910, Slack won election as Lieutenant Governor. He served in this position from 1910 to 1912.[https://books.google.com/books?id=x0kjAQAAMAAJ&dq=%22Leighton+P.+Slack%22&pg=PA14 Vermont, Its Government], by Walter J. Bigelow, 1919, page 14[https://books.google.com/books?id=-mdHAAAAYAAJ&dq=%22Leighton+P.+Slack%22&pg=PA503 Journal of the Senate of the State of Vermont], published by St. Albans Messenger Co., 1899, page 503Vermont Legislative Directory, published by Vermont Secretary of State, 1937, page 191[https://web.archive.org/web/20120415001438/http://vermont-archives.org/govhistory/Officials/pdf/ltgov.pdf Lieutenant Governors, Terms of Service], published by Office of the Vermont Secretary of State, Archives and Records Administration, 2011, page 2
In 1913, Slack was appointed a judge of the Vermont Superior Court. He served until being named an associate justice of the Supreme Court in 1914. In January 1915, public outcry over the Vermont General Assembly's failure to reappoint longtime justices Loveland Munson and Seneca Haselton led to resignations and new appointments which returned Munson and Haselton to the bench. As part of this effort, Slack agreed to return to service as a superior court judge.
In 1919, Slack was again appointed an associate justice of the Vermont Supreme Court, and he relocated to Montpelier. Slack served on the court until his death.Vermont Legislative Directory, published by Vermont Secretary of State, 1931, page 550Vermont Legislative Directory, published by Vermont Secretary of State, 1933, page 566[http://vermont-archives.org/govhistory/Officials/PDF/Justices.pdf Justices of the Vermont Supreme Court, 1778 to Present] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120415001545/http://vermont-archives.org/govhistory/Officials/PDF/Justices.pdf |date=2012-04-15 }}, Office of the Vermont Secretary of State, Archives and Records Administration, 2011, pages 13 to 16
During World War I Slack served as Chairman of Vermont's Committee on Public Safety, a board convened by the Governor to mobilize Vermont citizens and materiel for the war effort.[https://books.google.com/books?id=58w8AAAAIAAJ&dq=%22leighton+p.+slack%22+committee+safety&pg=PA132 Annual Report], published by United States Council of National Defense, Volume 3, 1919, page 132Newspaper article, Vermont Governor Heads Welcoming Delegation, Boston Globe, April 13, 1919Vermont in the World War, 1917-1919, edited by John T. Cushing and Harold Pearl Sheldon, 1928, page 468
Slack was active in the Vermont and American Bar Associations and the Vermont Historical Society.[https://books.google.com/books?id=fRciAAAAYAAJ&dq=%22Leighton+P.+Slack%22&pg=PA544 American Bar Association Journal], published by American Bar Association, Volume 4, 1918, page 544Report of Proceedings of the Annual Meeting], published by Vermont Bar Association, 1938, page 36Proceedings of the Vermont Historical Society, published by the society, 1899, page 112Proceedings of the Vermont Historical Society, published by the society, 1938, page C-61
Justice Slack died in Montpelier on March 31, 1938.[https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FB0E13F73D55157A93C1A9178FD85F4C8385F9 Newspaper article, Leighton P. Slack, Jurist, Dies at 70], New York Times, April 3, 1938Newspaper article, Leighton P. Slack Dies in Montpelier, North Adams Transcript, April 2, 1938Vermont Death Records, 1909-2008, record for Leighton Prosper Slack, accessed December 29, 2011
References
{{Reflist|2}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-ppo}}
{{s-bef|before=John A. Mead}}
{{s-ttl|title=Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Vermont|years=1910}}
{{s-aft|after=Frank E. Howe}}
{{s-off}}
{{succession box | before=John A. Mead | title=Lieutenant Governor of Vermont | years=1910–1912 | after=Frank E. Howe}}
{{succession box | before=Seneca Haselton | title=Associate Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court | years=1919–1938 | after=Allen R. Sturtevant}}
{{s-end}}
{{Lieutenant Governors of Vermont}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Slack, Leighton P.}}
Category:State's attorneys in Vermont
Category:Republican Party Vermont state senators
Category:Lieutenant governors of Vermont
Category:Justices of the Vermont Supreme Court
Category:People from Woodstock, Vermont
Category:People from Caledonia County, Vermont
Category:Politicians from Montpelier, Vermont
Category:20th-century members of the Vermont General Assembly