Winston L. Prouty

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Winston L. Prouty bigraphy, stories - American politician

Winston L. Prouty : biography

September 1, 1906 – September 10, 1971

Winston Lewis Prouty (September 1, 1906September 10, 1971) was an American politician. A member of the Republican Party, he served as a United States Senator from Vermont from 1959 until his death. He was previously a member of the United States House of Representatives, serving Vermont’s At-large congressional district, from 1951 to 1959.

Congressional career

In 1950, after longtime incumbent Charles Albert Plumley decided not to run again, Prouty announced his candidacy for the United States House of Representatives from Vermont’s At-large congressional district. He won the Republican nomination in a four-way race that included Governor Arthur. In the general election, he defeated his Democratic opponent, Herbert B. Comings, by a margin of 73%-26%. He was subsequently re-elected to three more terms, never receiving less than 61% of the vote.

During his tenure in the House, Prouty served as a member of the Veterans Affairs Committee and House Foreign Affairs Committee. He was elected to the United States Senate in 1958; reelected in 1964 and 1970 and served from January 3, 1959, until his death; died in Boston, Massachusetts; interment in Pine Grove Cemetery, Newport, Vermont.

He was eulogized by President Richard Nixon.

Early career

Prouty returned to Newport and joined his family’s business, Prouty & Miller. He also served as director of the National Bank of Newport and of Associated Industries of Vermont. A Republican, he was mayor of Newport from 1938 to 1941. He was elected to the Vermont House of Representatives in 1940, serving from 1941 to 1949. During his last two years in the legislature, he served as Speaker of the House. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the Republican nomination for Lieutenant Governor of Vermont in 1948, losing to state Senator and future Governor Harold J. Arthur. From 1949 to 1950, he served as chairman of the state Water Conservation Board.

Early life and education

Winston Prouty was born in Newport, Vermont, to Willard Robert and Margaret (née Lockhart) Prouty. His family owned Prouty & Miller Lumber Company, a lumber and building material business. His family was also involved in politics; his father and grandfather both served as state legislators, his uncle Charles A. Prouty was a member of the Interstate Commerce Commission, and his other uncle George H. Prouty served as Governor of Vermont (1908–1910).

He received his early education at public schools in Newport, and attended the Bordentown Military Institute in New Jersey. He then studied at Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania. During college, he was a member of the Delta Upsilon fraternity.