Park Pollard

Park H. Pollard (June 5, 1869 – December 26, 1955) was an American politician and businessman who served from 1912 to 1942 as chairman of the Democratic Party of Vermont, as well as several terms in the Vermont House of Representatives where he represented the town of Cavendish. He was the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate in 1923, and for Governor of Vermont in 1930 and 1942.

Early life and career Park Hiram Pollard was born in Cavendish, Vermont on June 5, 1869. He attended the schools of Proctorsville, Vermont, Vermont Academy and Black River Academy. In addition to selling medicines, Pollard's offered a “compounding” pharmacy service, which made customized medications for humans and animals. Pollard became chairman of the Vermont Democratic Party in 1916. He was first elected to the Vermont House of Representatives in 1916, representing the town of Cavendish. In April 1917 Pollard was nominated to the Vermont Board of Control by Governor Horace F. Graham, but his nomination was blocked by the Vermont Senate. This blockage was denounced by some commentators as an act of petty partisanship, but other observers contended that the Senate's decision was motivated by remarks Pollard had made on the House floor. Pollard's legislative focus was on what he deemed unnecessary spending, and he earned a reputation as a fiscal conservative.

Pollard was the Democratic nominee in the 1923 special election to fill the U.S. Senate seat that had been vacated by the death of William P. Dillingham. Due to Vermont's traditionally Republican lean, he was considered to have next to no chance of winning. Pollard attempted to define the race around the issue of Prohibition, taking a "wet" stance that advocated for amending the Volstead Act to be less restrictive, and attempting to appeal to supporters of wet Republican John W. Redmond, who had been defeated by "dry" candidate Porter H. Dale in the Republican primary. Pollard was defeated by Dale, 66%-33%.

Pollard was the Democratic nominee for Governor in 1930, once again running as a wet. During the campaign, he favored the total repeal of the Eighteenth Amendment and the Volstead Act. He lost heavily to Lieutenant Governor Stanley C. Wilson. Pollard was again the Democratic nominee for Governor in 1942, losing to incumbent Governor William H. Wills, and stepped down as party chair that same year.

Personal life Pollard was the son of Don Carlos Pollard and Sarah (Moor) Pollard. He was a first cousin of Calvin Coolidge; Pollard's mother was the sister of Coolidge's mother Victoria Josephine Moor. Pollard married Edith Mary Johnson in 1894; they were the parents of a daughter, Minnie. Edith Pollard died in 1923,