Louis G. Whitcomb
{{Short description|American attorney and politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Louis G. Whitcomb
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| office1 = United States Attorney for Vermont
| term_start1 = 1953
| term_end1 = 1961
| appointer1 = Dwight D. Eisenhower
| predecessor1 = Joseph A. McNamara
| successor1 = Joseph F. Radigan
| office2 = President of the Vermont Bar Association
| term_start2 = 1966
| term_end2 = 1967
| predecessor2 = Christopher A. Webber
| successor2 = Hilton Wick
| office3 = Judge of the Windsor, Vermont Municipal Court
| term_start3 = January 30, 1947
| term_end3 = January 31, 1949
| predecessor3 = Walter Schinoski
| successor3 = Kenneth Robinson
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1903|07|30}}
| birth_place = Springfield, Vermont
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1984|10|12|1903|07|30}}
| death_place = Springfield, Vermont
| restingplace = Summer Hill Cemetery,
Springfield, Vermont
| nationality = American
| spouse = Catharine Kingdon (m. 1934-1946, divorced)
Alice-Elizabeth Stiles (m. 1946-1984, his death)
| children = 2
| education = Suffolk University Law School
| occupation = Attorney
Public official
| allegiance = {{Flagu|United States|1912}}
| branch = {{flag|United States Navy}}
| serviceyears = 1943–1945
| unit = Naval Air Station Clinton, Oklahoma
| battles = World War II
| rank = 35px Lieutenant commander
}}
Louis G. Whitcomb (July 30, 1903 - October 12, 1984) was an American attorney and political figure from Vermont. A Republican, he was most notable for his service as United States Attorney for the District of Vermont.
Early life
Louis Gorman Whitcomb was born in Taunton, Massachusetts on July 30, 1903, a son of Louis A. Whitcomb and Mary E. (Gorman) Whitcomb.{{sfn|"Former U.S. Attorney Dead"}}{{sfn|Vermont Legislative Directory and State Manual}} He was raised in Taunton until he was 14, when his family relocated to Springfield, Vermont.{{sfn|Vermont Legislative Directory and State Manual}} Whitcomb graduated from Springfield High School in 1921.{{sfn|Vermont Legislative Directory and State Manual}} He taught school before deciding on a legal career.{{sfn|"L. G. Whitcomb, Springfield, in Naval Reserves"}} In 1929, he received his LL.B. degree from Suffolk University Law School.{{sfn|Vermont Legislative Directory and State Manual}}
Start of career
Whitcomb was admitted to the bar in 1929 and practiced in Springfield.{{sfn|Vermont Legislative Directory and State Manual}}{{sfn|"L. G. Whitcomb, Springfield, in Naval Reserves"}} In the 1920s and 1930s, Whitcomb and friend Everett Williams, the station manager of WNBX in Springfield, hosted a weekday morning radio show.{{sfn|"Former U.S. Attorney Dead"}}{{sfn|"WNBX Springfield, 1927-1940"}}
A Republican, Whitcomb served as a Springfield justice of the peace from 1923 to 1953.{{sfn|Vermont Legislative Directory and State Manual}} Whitcomb joined the United States Navy for World War II and served from 1943 to 1945.{{sfn|Vermont Legislative Directory and State Manual}} After completing his initial training at Naval Air Station Quonset Point, Rhode Island, Whitcomb was assigned to the staff of Naval Air Station Clinton, Oklahoma.{{sfn|"Springfield: Lieut. Louis G. Whitcomb"}} He attained the rank of lieutenant commander, and after his discharge he resumed practicing law in Springfield.{{sfn|Vermont Legislative Directory and State Manual}}
From 1947 to 1948 he served as executive clerk to Governor Ernest W. Gibson Jr.{{sfn|Vermont Legislative Directory and State Manual}} In addition, he served as judge of Windsor's municipal court from 1947 to 1949.{{sfn|Vermont Legislative Directory and State Manual}}
U.S. Attorney
The 1952 presidential election victory of Republican Dwight D. Eisenhower gave him the opportunity to appoint Republicans to federal posts including United States Attorney following 20 years of Democratic administrations led by Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman.{{sfn|"Former U.S. Attorney Dead"}} In October 1953, Eisenhower nominated Whitcomb to succeed Joseph A. McNamara as U.S. Attorney for the District of Vermont;{{sfn|"Former U.S. Attorney Dead"}} Whitcomb had been jointly recommended by Vermont's U.S. Senators, George Aiken and Ralph Flanders. Whitcomb continued to serve until 1961, when the newly-elected Democratic president, John F. Kennedy, nominated Democrat Joseph F. Radigan to succeed Whitcomb.{{sfn|"Radigan Sworn In to U.S. Post"}}
Later career
After leaving office, Whitcomb resumed practicing law in Springfield.{{sfn|"Former U.S. Attorney Dead"}} From 1966 to 1967 he served as president of the Vermont Bar Association.{{sfn|"Governor Offers Congratulations"}} Whitcomb was a member of the Springfield Housing Authority, and a trustee of Springfield's town library.{{sfn|"Former U.S. Attorney Dead"}} He was also a trustee of the Claremont Savings Bank (Claremont, New Hampshire), a member of Springfield's Elks lodge, and a member of Springfield's American Legion post.{{sfn|"Former U.S. Attorney Dead"}}
Death and burial
Whitcomb practiced law until retiring in 1981.{{sfn|"Former U.S. Attorney Dead"}} In 1983, he suffered a stroke that made it difficult for him to move or speak.{{sfn|"Former U.S. Attorney Dead"}} He died in Springfield on October 12, 1984.{{sfn|"Former U.S. Attorney Dead"}} Whitcomb was buried at Summer Hill Cemetery in Springfield.{{sfn|"Former U.S. Attorney Dead"}}
Family
In 1934, Whitcomb married Catharine Kingdon (1909-1997) of Claremont, New Hampshire.{{sfn|"Louis G. Whitcomb Weds Catherine Kingdon"}}{{sfn|"Obituary, Catharine L. Kingdon LaCasse"}} They divorced following his return from military service and in 1946 Whitcomb married Alice-Elizabeth (Stiles) Hackett (1908-1998).{{sfn|"Springfield: Louis G. Whitcomb and Alice Elizabeth Hackett Were Married"}} With his first wife, Whitcomb was the father of Priscilla Herbert (1938-2009).{{sfn|"Former U.S. Attorney Dead"}}{{sfn|"Obituary, Priscilla Hebert"}} With his second wife, Whitcomb was the father of daughter Susan Sbrega Foster.{{sfn|"Obituary, Priscilla Hebert"}}{{sfn|"Sbrega-Whitcomb Wedding"}}
References
{{reflist}}
Sources
=Newspapers=
- {{cite news |date=November 20, 1934 |title=Louis G. Whitcomb Weds Catherine Kingdon |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/534147436/ |work=Rutland Daily Herald |location=Rutland, VT |page=9 |url-access=subscription |via=Newspapers.com |ref={{sfnRef|"Louis G. Whitcomb Weds Catherine Kingdon"}}}}
- {{cite news |date=March 6, 1943 |title=L. G. Whitcomb, Springfield, in Naval Reserves |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/534139243/ |work=Rutland Daily Herald |location=Rutland, VT |page=9 |url-access=subscription |via=Newspapers.com |ref={{sfnRef|"L. G. Whitcomb, Springfield, in Naval Reserves"}}}}
- {{cite news |date=July 1, 1943 |title=Springfield: Lieut. Louis G. Whitcomb |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/534183919/ |work=Rutland Daily Herald |location=Rutland, VT |page=11 |url-access=subscription |via=Newspapers.com |ref={{sfnRef|"Springfield: Lieut. Louis G. Whitcomb"}}}}
- {{cite news |date=September 2, 1946 |title=Springfield: Louis G. Whitcomb and Alice Elizabeth Hackett Were Married |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/534147436/ |work=Rutland Daily Herald |location=Rutland, VT |page=15 |url-access=subscription |via=Newspapers.com |ref={{sfnRef|"Springfield: Louis G. Whitcomb and Alice Elizabeth Hackett Were Married"}}}}
- {{cite news |date=May 6, 1961 |title=Radigan Sworn In to U.S. Post |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/534256086/ |work=Rutland Daily Herald |location=Rutland, VT |page=1 |url-access=subscription |via=Newspapers.com |ref={{sfnRef|"Radigan Sworn In to U.S. Post"}}}}
- {{cite news |date=October 3, 1966 |title=Governor Offers Congratulations |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/63030297/ |work=Bennington Banner |location=Bennington, VT |page=1 |url-access=subscription |via=Newspapers.com |ref={{sfnRef|"Governor Offers Congratulations"}}}}
- {{cite news |date=August 3, 1980 |title=Sbrega-Whitcomb Wedding |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/533627666/ |work=Rutland Herald |location=Rutland, VT |page=19 |url-access=subscription |via=Newspapers.com |ref={{sfnRef|"Sbrega-Whitcomb Wedding"}}}}
- {{cite news |last=Smallheer |first=Susan |agency=Southern Vermont Bureau |date=October 13, 1984 |title=Former U.S. Attorney Dead |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/535015048 |work=Rutland Daily Herald |location=Rutland, VT |pages=5–6 |url-access=subscription |via=Newspapers.com |ref={{sfnRef|"Former U.S. Attorney Dead"}}}}
- {{cite news |date=November 10, 1997 |title=Obituary, Catharine L. Kingdon LaCasse |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/296439337/ |work=Mansfield News Journal |location=Mansfield, OH |page=8 |url-access=subscription |via=Newspapers.com |ref={{sfnRef|"Obituary, Catharine L. Kingdon LaCasse"}}}}
- {{cite news |date=July 22, 2009 |title=Obituary, Priscilla Hebert |url=https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/rutlandherald/obituary.aspx?n=priscilla-w-herbert&pid=130158865 |work=Rutland Herald |location=Rutland, VT |via=Legacy.com |ref={{sfnRef|"Obituary, Priscilla Hebert"}}}}
=Books=
- {{cite book |last=Armstrong |first=Howard E. |date=1957 |title=Vermont Legislative Directory and State Manual |url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.b4047030&view=2up&seq=610 |location=Montpelier, VT |publisher=Vermont Secretary of State |page=602 |author-link=Howard E. Armstrong |via=HathiTrust |ref={{sfnRef|Vermont Legislative Directory and State Manual}}}}
=Magazines=
- {{cite magazine |last=Thompson |first=Ellie |date=May 19, 1989 |title=WNBX Springfield, 1927-1940 |url=https://vabnow.files.wordpress.com/2016/11/vab-35th-magazine.pdf |magazine=Voices from the Hills |location=South Royalton, VT |publisher=Vermont Association of Broadcasters |page=7 |ref={{sfnRef|"WNBX Springfield, 1927-1940"}}}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Whitcomb, Louis G.}}
Category:People from Taunton, Massachusetts
Category:People from Springfield, Vermont
Category:Suffolk University Law School alumni
Category:United States Navy personnel of World War II
Category:Vermont state court judges
Category:United States attorneys for the District of Vermont
Category:20th-century American politicians