{{short description|American politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder | name = Alexander Dunnett | image = Alexander Dunnett 2 (US Attorney for Vermont).jpg | caption = From Volume 5 (1923) of ''Vermont, The Green Mountain State'' | office1 = United States Attorney for the District of Vermont | president1 = Theodore Roosevelt<br>William Howard Taft<br>Woodrow Wilson | term_start1 = 1906 | term_end1 = 1915 | predecessor1 = James Loren Martin | successor1 = Vernon A. Bullard | office2 = President of the Vermont Bar Association | term_start2 = 1907 | term_end2 = 1908 | predecessor2 = Fred M. Butler | successor2 = James K. Batchelder | office3 = Member of the Vermont Senate from Caledonia County | term_start3 = 1900 | term_end3 = 1901 | alongside3 = Gilbert M. Campbell | predecessor3 = Harry Blodgett<br/>Thomas B. Hall | successor3 = Truman R. Stiles<br/>Preston H. Graves | office4 = State's Attorney of Caledonia County, Vermont | term_start4 = 1886 | term_end4 = 1890 | predecessor4 = Marshall Montgomery | successor4 = Harry Blodgett | birth_date = {{Birth date |1852|11|29}} | birth_place = Peacham, Vermont | death_date = {{Death date and age|1920|09|14|1852|11|29}} | death_place = Groton, Vermont | resting_place = Hillside Cemetery, Ryegate, Vermont | party = Republican | spouse = Ella J. White (m. 1879, d. 1881)<br/>Sarah M. Town (m. 1884, d. 1888)<br/>Ella Chalmers (m. 1890) | children = 1 | education = Randolph Normal School<br/>Boston University School of Law | profession = Attorney }}
'''Alexander Dunnett''' (November 29, 1852 - September 14, 1920) was an attorney and politician from Vermont. A Republican, he was most notable for his service as State's Attorney of Caledonia County (1886–1890), a member of the Vermont Senate (1900–1901), and United States Attorney for the District of Vermont (1906–1915).
==Early life== Alexander Dunnett was born in Peacham, Vermont on November 29, 1852, the son of Andrew and Christianne (Galbraith) Dunnett.{{sfn|"Demise of Alexander Dunnett"|page=4}} He was raised and educated in Peacham and Ryegate, and attended McIndoes Academy and Newbury Seminary.{{sfn|"Demise of Alexander Dunnett"|page=4}} While a teenager, Dunnett was working on a railroad construction crew when a large stone fell on him.{{sfn|"Interesting Events in the Life of the Late Alexander Dunnett"|page=2}} He sustained a crushed pelvis, and doctors feared he would not survive.{{sfn|"Interesting Events in the Life of the Late Alexander Dunnett"|page=2}} Dunnett recovered, but the effects of the injury resulted in a unique gait when he walked and the carrying of one shoulder lower than the other.{{sfn|"Interesting Events in the Life of the Late Alexander Dunnett"|page=2}} He graduated from the Randolph Normal School (now Vermont Technical College) in 1874, and taught school while studying law with attorney Nelson L. Boyden of Randolph.{{sfn|"Demise of Alexander Dunnett"|page=4}} Dunnett then attended courses at Boston University School of Law to complete his legal education, and attained admission to the bar in 1877.{{sfn|"Demise of Alexander Dunnett"|page=4}}
==Start of career== Dunnett practiced in Ryegate before relocating to St. Johnsbury, where he practiced law with various partners at different times, including Albro F. Nichols, Leighton P. Slack, Charles E. Leslie, and Charles A. Shields.{{sfn|"Demise of Alexander Dunnett"|page=4}}
thumb|left|From 1894's ''Men of Vermont Illustrated'' A Republican, while living in Ryegate, Dunnett served as school superintendent and town meeting moderator.{{sfn|''Genealogical and Family History of the State of Vermont''|pages=581-583}} After moving to St. Johnsbury, he was chosen to moderate its town meeting for several years.{{sfn|''Genealogical and Family History of the State of Vermont''|pages=581-583}} Dunnett served as State's Attorney for Caledonia County from 1896 to 1900.{{sfn|''Genealogical and Family History of the State of Vermont''|pages=581-583}} In addition, he was the longtime chairman of the Caledonia County Republican Committee, and served as chairman of the Vermont Republican Party's 1900 convention.{{sfn|''Genealogical and Family History of the State of Vermont''|pages=581-583}}
==Later career== From 1900 to 1901 he represented Caledonia County in the Vermont Senate.{{sfn|"Demise of Alexander Dunnett"|page=4}} From 1906 to 1915, Dunnett was United States Attorney for the District of Vermont.{{sfn|"Demise of Alexander Dunnett"|page=4}} He was President of the Vermont Bar Association from 1907 to 1908.{{sfn|"Demise of Alexander Dunnett"|page=4}}
During the 1912 campaign for president, William Howard Taft campaigned in St. Johnsbury, and Dunnett was chosen to make the speech that introduced him.{{sfn|"President Taft: St. Johnsbury's Guest for a Few Hours This Afternoon"|pages=1, 4}} In 1914, Dunnett was a candidate for the Republican U.S. House nomination in Vermont's 2nd District.{{sfn|"Porter H. Dale Wins"|page=1}} Porter H. Dale won on the 21st ballot at the state party convention, and went on to win the general election.{{sfn|"Porter H. Dale Wins"|page=1}} In 1916, Dunnett was an alternate delegate to the Republican National Convention.{{sfn|''Vermont, the Green Mountain State''|page=248}}
Dunnett was a Freemason, and was also active as a Royal Arch Mason and a member of the Knights Templar.{{sfn|"Demise of Alexander Dunnett"|page=4}}
==Death and burial== Dunnett suffered from kidney disease in his later years, and became ill while attending the 1920 Republican National Convention, where he delivered a seconding speech in support of Calvin Coolidge for vice president.{{sfn|"Demise of Alexander Dunnett"|page=4}} He died at his summer home on Lake Groton in Groton, Vermont on September 14, 1920.{{sfn|"Demise of Alexander Dunnett"|page=4}} Dunnett was buried at Hillside Cemetery in Ryegate.{{sfn|"Many Notables Pay Tribute to Mr. Dunnett"|page=2}}
==Honors== Dunnett was a longtime member of the Norwich University board of trustees,{{sfn|"Interesting Events in the Life of the Late Alexander Dunnett"|page=2}} and vice president of the university corporation.{{sfn|"Pres. Plumley Spoke Feelingly To-Day of Death of Alexander Dunnett"|page=1}} In 1917, NU awarded him the honorary degree of Master of Science.{{sfn|"Norwich University: Honorary Degree of Master of Science Conferred On Alexander Dunnett"}}
==Family== Dunnett was married three times.{{sfn|"Demise of Alexander Dunnett"|page=4}} In 1879, he married Ella J. White, who died in 1881.{{sfn|"Demise of Alexander Dunnett"|page=4}} In 1884, he married Sarah M. Town, who died in 1888.{{sfn|"Demise of Alexander Dunnett"|page=4}} In 1890, Dunnett married Ella Chalmers, the widow of Reverend John R. Chalmers of St. Johnsbury.{{sfn|"Demise of Alexander Dunnett"|page=4}} With his first wife, Dunnett was the father of son Jim A. Dunnett, who was born and died in 1881.{{sfn|"Alex. Dunnett Has Been Called Upon To Part With His Little Boy"|page=4}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==Sources== ===Newspapers=== *{{cite news |date=September 30, 1881 |title=Alex. Dunnett Has Been Called Upon To Part With His Little Boy |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/444370253/ |work=St. Johnsbury Index |location=St. Johnsbury, VT |url-access=subscription |via=Newspapers.com |ref={{sfnRef|"Alex. Dunnett Has Been Called Upon To Part With His Little Boy"}}}} *{{cite news |date=October 6, 1912 |title=President Taft: St. Johnsbury's Guest for a Few Hours This Afternoon |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/444949995/ |work=St. Johnsbury Republican |location=St. Johnsbury, VT |url-access=subscription |via=Newspapers.com |ref={{sfnRef|"President Taft: St. Johnsbury's Guest for a Few Hours This Afternoon"}}}} *{{cite news |date=September 9, 1914 |title=Porter H. Dale Wins |url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84022871/1914-09-09/ed-1/seq-1/ |work=Orleans County Monitor |location=Barton, VT |via=Library of Congress: Chronicling America; Historic American Newspapers |ref={{sfnRef|"Porter H. Dale Wins"}}}} *{{cite news |date=September 26, 1917 |title=Norwich University: Honorary Degree of Master of Science Conferred On Alexander Dunnett |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/444770469/ |work=St. Johnsbury Republican |location=St. Johnsbury, VT |url-access=subscription |via=Newspapers.com |ref={{sfnRef|"Norwich University: Honorary Degree of Master of Science Conferred On 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 |ref={{sfnRef|"Demise of Alexander Dunnett"}}}} *{{cite news |date=September 16, 1920 |title=Old Norwich Overflowing: Buildings of University at Northfield Taxed to Utmost; Pres. Plumley Spoke Feelingly To-Day of Death of Alexander Dunnett |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/364217128/ |work=Barre Daily Times |location=Barre, VT |url-access=subscription |via=Newspapers.com |ref={{sfnRef|"Pres. Plumley Spoke Feelingly To-Day of Death of Alexander Dunnett"}}}} *{{cite news |date=September 22, 1920 |title=Many Notables Pay Tribute to Mr. Dunnett |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/174629800/ |work=The Weekly Caledonian |location=St. Johnsbury, VT |url-access=subscription |via=Newspapers.com |ref={{sfnRef|"Many Notables Pay Tribute to Mr. Dunnett"}}}} *{{cite news |date=January 26, 1921 |title=Interesting Events in the Life of the Late Alexander Dunnett |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/444786555/ |work=St. Johnsbury Republican |location=St. Johnsbury, VT |url-access=subscription |via=Newspapers.com |ref={{sfnRef|"Interesting Events in the Life of the Late Alexander Dunnett"}}}}
===Books=== *{{cite book |last=Carleton |first=Hiram |date=1903 |title=Genealogical and Family History of the State of Vermont |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8Cr5seuiQ2wC&pg=PA581 |location=New York, NY |publisher=Lewis Publishing Company |ref={{sfnRef|''Genealogical and Family History of the State of Vermont''}}|isbn=9780806347943 }} *{{cite book |last=Crockett |first=Walter Hill |date=1923 |title=Vermont, the Green Mountain State |url=https://archive.org/stream/vermontgreenmoun05croc#page/247/ |location=New York, NY |publisher=Century History Company |ref={{sfnRef|''Vermont, the Green Mountain State''}}}}
==External links== *{{Find a Grave|58328029}} *[http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/dunnagan-dunwell.html Alexander Dunnett] at The Political Graveyard
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Dunnett, Alexander}} Category:1852 births Category:1920 deaths Category:People from St. Johnsbury, Vermont Category:Politicians from Caledonia County, Vermont Category:State's attorneys in Vermont Category:United States attorneys for the District of Vermont Category:Republican Party Vermont state senators Category:19th-century American lawyers Category:19th-century members of the Vermont General Assembly