Jutten Allen Longmoore (1892-1963)

From the Burlington Free Press, April 29, 1963.

  The Strangest Names In American Political History makes its first stop in Vermont for 2019 to highlight the life of Jutten Allen Longmoore, a curiously named resident of St. Johnsbury who, in addition to practicing law for over forty years, was State's Attorney for Caledonia County for a two-year term. In addition to that post, Longmoore later served a brief term in the Vermont State Assembly, being appointed to fill a vacancy. Born on December 17, 1892, in South Ryegate, Vermont, Jutten Allen Longmoore was the son of Thomas and Louise (McDonald) Longmoore, both natives of Quebec, Canada.

  A student in schools local to the Newbury, Vermont area, Longmoore also studied at the South Ryegate Academy and the University of Southern California. Deciding upon a career in law, Longmoore read law in the office of Albro Franklin Nichols (1850-1930), a former state's attorney for Essex County. Admitted to the Vermont bar in 1917, Longmoore would put his career on hold to serve in the U.S. Army during WWI. His time overseas also saw him attain additional study at the University of Dijon in France, and by 1919 had returned to St. Johnsbury.

  After his return stateside, Longmoore joined the law firm of Foster, Witters, and Longmoore, with which he would be affiliated through the remainder of his life. This firm would later take on additional partners, and by the time of Longmoore's passing in 1963 had undergone a name change to Witters, Longmoore, Akeley, and Brown. Their firm would be retained as counsel for a number of New England banks and businesses, including the Caledonia National Bank at Danville, Vermont; the Citizens Savings Bank and Trust Co.; the Cary Maple Sugar Co.; the St. Johnsbury Aqueduct Co.; the Woodstock Lumber Co. of Boston, Massachusetts; the Parker Young Co. of Lisbon, New Hampshire; and the Black River Lumber Co. of Healdsville, Vermont.

Portrait from the University of Southern California's El Rodeo Yearbook, 1917.

  Longmoore made his first attempt at political office in 1923 when he began service as State's Attorney for Caledonia County. He served a two-year term and married in April 1925 to Elizabeth Ellen Bassett (1890-1972), to whom he was wed until his death. The couple would be childless. Active in the civic affairs of his native town and county, Longmoore was a past commander of his American Legion Lodge, a member of the Vermont National Guard, an exalted ruler of the local Elks Lodge, a Mason, and for several years was a member of the board of managers of the Vermont State Bar Association. 

  Jutten Longmoore was returned to public office in April 1947 when he was appointed to fill a vacancy in the Vermont House of Representatives, this vacancy having been occasioned by the resignation of St. Johnsbury representative Fred Warren Knowlton. Taking his seat on April 1, 1947, Longmoore served through the remainder of the 1947-49 house session and was named to the committee on Highways and Bridges. He was not a candidate for reelection in 1948. 

  After leaving the legislature in 1949 Longmoore continued with his law practice and was also the chairman of the board of directors of the Fairbanks Museum in St. Johnsbury. Longmoore died at the Brightlook Hospital in that city on April 25, 1963, aged 70, and was survived by his wife Elizabeth. Both were later interred at the  Mt. Pleasant Cemetery in St. Johnsbury.