Stephen Royce

Stephen Royce
Portrait on display in Vermont State House
23rd Governor of Vermont
In office October 12, 1854 – October 10, 1856
Lieutenant	Ryland Fletcher
Preceded by	John S. Robinson
Succeeded by	Ryland Fletcher
Chief of Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court
In office 1846–1852
Preceded by	Charles K. Williams
Succeeded by	Isaac F. Redfield
Associate Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court
In office 1829–1846
Preceded by	Bates Turner
Succeeded by	Charles Davis
In office 1825–1826
Preceded by	Asa Aikens
Succeeded by	Bates Turner
Member of the Vermont House of Representatives from St. Albans
In office 1822–1825
Preceded by	James Mason
Succeeded by	Benjamin Swift
State's Attorney of Franklin County, Vermont
In office 1816–1817
Preceded by	Ebenezer Marvin Jr.
Succeeded by	Israel P. Richardson
Member of the Vermont House of Representatives from Sheldon
In office 1815–1817
Preceded by	Chauncey Fitch
Succeeded by	Samuel Wead
Personal details
Born	(1787-08-12)August 12, 1787 Tinmouth, Republic of Vermont
Died	November 11, 1868(1868-11-11) (aged 81) Berkshire, Vermont, U.S.
Resting place	East Berkshire Episcopal Cemetery, Berkshire, Vermont, U.S.
Political party	Democratic-Republican Party Whig Party (before 1854) Republican (from 1854)
Relations	Homer E. Royce (nephew)
Alma mater	Middlebury College
Profession	Attorney

Stephen Royce (August 12, 1787 – November 11, 1868) was an American lawyer, judge and politician. Originally a Democratic-Republican, and later a Whig Party, he became a Republican when the party was formed in the mid-1850s. Royce served as an associate justice of the Vermont Supreme Court from 1829 to 1846, chief justice from 1846 to 1852, and 23rd governor of Vermont from 1854 to 1856.

Born and raised in Tinmouth, Vermont, Royce attended the local schools and the Addison County Grammar School. He taught school while attending Middlebury College, from which he graduated in 1807. He then studied law, attained admission to the bar 1809, and practiced in East Berkshire, Sheldon, and St. Albans. He represented Sheldon in the Vermont House of Representatives from 1815 to 1817 and served as State's Attorney of Franklin County from 1816 to 1817. Royce represented St. Albans in the Vermont House from 1822 to 1825, when he was selected to serve as an associate justice of the Vermont Supreme Court. He served until 1826, and returned to the court as an associate justice in 1829. He served until 1846, when he became the court's chief justice.

In 1854, Royce was the successful Whig nominee for governor, elected with support from Whigs and members of the new Republican Party. In 1855, he was reelected as a Republican. Royce was Vermont's first Republican governor, and the party remained in control of Vermont's government for the next 100 years. His term included the Republican Party's creation of the Mountain Rule, under which governors alternated between the east and west sides of the Green Mountains and were limited to two years in office.

Royce died in Berkshire on November 11, 1868. He was buried at East Berkshire Episcopal Cemetery in Berkshire.