Elbert Sidney Brigham Passes Away

Today in Masonic History Elbert Sidney Brigham passes away in 1962.

Elbert Sidney Brigham was an American politician, farmer and banker.

Brigham was born on October 19th, 1877 in St. Albans, Vermont. He attended local schools and graduated from St. Albans High School. He went on to graduate from Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont in 1903.

Brigham was engaged in farming all of his life. He was the first farmer with a 100-cow herd to average more than 600 pounds of butterfat in one year.

In local politics, Brigham was the St. Albans town auditor in 1911 and 1912. From 1913 to 1924, Brigham was the state commissioner of agriculture. From 1922 to 1960 he was a trustee of Middlebury College. In 1925 he served as director of the National Life Insurance Company.

Nationally in 1918, Brigham was a member of the National Agricultural Advisory Committee and of the United States Food Administration in Washington, D.C.

In 1924, Brigham was elected to serve in the United States House of Representatives for Vermont. He served a full term and was not a candidate for reelection.

In 1932, Brigham became a member of the Reconstruction Finance Corporation, a government corporation, whose purpose was to provide loans to state and local governments as well as the financial institutions to help boost confidence in the American economy after the Great Depression.

In 1933, Brigham served as chairman of Vermont Advisory Banking Board. He left the board in 1936. The following year he became the president of National Life Insurance Company in Montpelier, Vermont serving until 1948. From 1944 until 1957 he was president of the Franklin County Savings Bank and Trust Company in St. Albans, Vermont. From 1957 until 1962, the year he passed away, he was the chairman of the board of the Franklin County Savings Bank and Trust Company.

Brigham passed away on July 5th, 1962.

Brigham was a member of Franklin Lodge No. 4, St. Albans, Vermont. He also was a 33° member of the Valley of Burlington, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, Northern Masonic Jurisdiction.

This article provided by Brother Eric C. Steele.