{{short description|American lawyer and civil servant (1816–1867)}} {{Use American English|date=March 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2026}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Stoddard B. Colby | image = Stoddard B. Colby, Register of the Treasury - NARA - 529994 (cropped).jpg | caption = Colby, {{circa}} 1860–1865 | office = 2nd Register of the Treasury | president = Abraham Lincoln<br>Andrew Johnson | term_start = August 11, 1864 | term_end = September 21, 1867 | predecessor = Lucius E. Chittenden | successor = Noah L. Jeffries | office2 = Member of the Vermont House of Representatives | term_start2 = 1842 | term_end2 = 1843 | predecessor2 = John G. Chandler | successor2 = Abel Wilder | constituency2 = Derby | birth_name = Stoddard Benham Colby | birth_date = {{birth date|1816|2|3}} | birth_place = Derby, Vermont, US | death_date = {{death date and age|1867|9|21|1816|2|3}} | death_place = Haverhill, New Hampshire, US | resting_place = Proctor Cemetery, Proctorsville, Vermont, US | spouse = Harriet Elizabeth Proctor (m. 1840)<br/>Ellen Cornelia Hunt (m. 1855) | children = 6 (including Frank Moore Colby) | education = Dartmouth College | occupation = Lawyer | signature = S-B-Colby.jpg }}

'''Stoddard Benham Colby''' (February 3, 1816 – September 21, 1867)<ref>{{Citation |title=The New England Historical and Genealogical Register |volume= 23 |date=1869 |publisher= Heritage Books |isbn=9780788400704 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=F5yrNq-zNjgC&q=stoddard+b.+colby+register&pg=PA85 |accessdate=27 December 2012}}</ref> was an American lawyer and political figure. He is notable for his service as Register of the United States Treasury during the American Civil War.

==Biography== Colby was born in Derby, Vermont on February 3, 1816, the son of Judge Nehemiah Colby and Malinda (Larrabee) Colby.<ref name="Davenport">{{Cite web |url=http://www.ancestoryarchives.com/2015/04/stoddard-benham-colby-and-family-lines.html |title=Stoddard Benham Colby and Family Lines |last=Berry |first=Melissa Davenport |date=April 11, 2015 |website=AncestoryArchives.com |publisher=AnceStory Archives |access-date=December 7, 2024}}</ref> He was educated in Derby, and prepared for college by studying in the office of attorney Timothy P. Redfield.<ref name="Redfield">{{cite magazine |last=Redfield |first=Timothy P. |editor-last=Hemenway |editor-first=Abby Maria |editor-link=Abby Maria Hemenway |date=1882 |title=Biography, Stoddard Benham Colby |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YSxDIrDewrYC&pg=PA468 |magazine=The History of Washington County In the Vermont Historical Gazetteer |location=Montpelier, Vermont |publisher=Vermont Watchman and State Journal |pages=468–469 |via=Google Books}}</ref> He graduated from Dartmouth College in 1836, and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.<ref name="Redfield"/> He studied law with William Upham, was admitted to the bar in 1838, and practiced law in Derby.<ref name="Redfield"/> Among the prospective attorneys who studied in Colby's office was John L. Edwards.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Dale |first=George N. |author-link=George N. Dale |editor-last=Baldwin |editor-first=Frederick W. |editor-link=Frederick W. Baldwin |date=1886 |title=Biography, John L. Edwards |url=https://archive.org/details/biographyofbarof01bald/page/158/mode/1up?view=theater |magazine=Biography of the Bar of Orleans County, Vermont |location=Montpelier, VT |publisher=Vermont Watchman and State Journal Press |pages=158–162 |via=Internet Archive |ref={{sfnRef|Dale}}}}</ref> In 1842 he was elected to the Vermont House of Representatives, and served from 1842 to 1842.<ref name="Redfield"/> In 1846 he began to practice in Montpelier as the partner of Lucius B. Peck.<ref name="Redfield"/>

In 1855, Colby was the unsuccessful Democratic nominee for Lieutenant governor of Vermont.<ref name="Profile">{{Cite web |url=https://electionarchive.vermont.gov/candidates/view/Stoddard-B-Colby |title=Candidate Profile, Stoddard B. Colby |author=Elections Division |website=ElectionArchive.Vermont.Gov |publisher=Vermont Secretary of State |location=Montpelier, Vermont |access-date=December 7, 2024}}</ref> In 1856, he was the unsuccessful Democratic nominee for the United States House of Representatives.<ref name="Profile"/>

Colby was appointed Register of the Treasury and assumed office on August 12, 1864.<ref>{{Citation |title=Associated Press News Dispatches |date=August 12, 1864 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1864/08/12/news/dispatches-associated-press-decision-respecting-seven-thirty-treasury-notes.html |work=The New York Times |accessdate=27 December 2012}}</ref>

==Family== He was married to Harriet Elizabeth Proctor, sister of Redfield Proctor.<ref name="Davenport"/> She was one of the victims of the 1852 Henry Clay (1851 steamboat) disaster.<ref name="Davenport"/> They had four children.<ref name="Sibert">{{cite web |url=https://sibertancestry.org/Alphabet/Cary/C/Cary/AsaBaconCarey.html |title=Brigadier General Asa Bacon Carey (1835–1912) |date=May 12, 2023 |website=Sibert Ancestry.org |access-date=November 19, 2023}}</ref> In 1855, he married Ellen Cornelia Hunt of Haverhill, New Hampshire.<ref name="Davenport"/> They were the parents of two children.<ref name="Davenport"/>

===Children=== '''With Harriet Elizabeth Proctor:'''<ref name="Davenport"/>

*Jabez Proctor Colby *Laura Melinda Colby, the wife of Brigadier General Asa B. Carey *Edward P. Colby *Lucien Redfield Colby

'''With Ellen Cornelia Hunt:'''<ref name="Davenport"/>

*Ellen Rebecca Colby, the wife of Frederick Abbott Stokes *Frank Moore Colby, publisher

==Death and burial== Colby died in Haverhill following a five-week illness.<ref>{{Citation |title=Decease of Hon. Stoddard B. Colby, Register of the United States Treasury |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1867/09/24/79367189.pdf |accessdate=27 December 2012}}</ref> He was buried at Proctor Cemetery in Proctorsville, Vermont.<ref name="Davenport"/>

==Awards and honors== In August 1867, he received the honorary degree of LL.D. from Norwich University.<ref>{{Citation |title=Norwich University Commencement – Oration by Hon. S.B. Colby |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1867/08/05/87582176.pdf |accessdate=27 December 2012}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *[https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=950DE6D8103AEF34BC4C51DFBF66838C679FDE NY Times obituary]

{{s-start}} {{s-ppo}} {{s-bef|before=William Mattocks}} {{s-ttl|title=Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Vermont|years=1855}} {{s-aft|after=Wyllys Lyman}} {{s-end}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Colby, Stoddard B.}} Category:1867 deaths Category:1816 births Category:American civil servants Category:People from Derby, Vermont Category:19th-century members of the Vermont General Assembly