Thomas E. Trowbridge
Encyclopedia
Thomas E. Trowbridge, known as Tom Trowbridge (December 18, 1930 – July 7, 2009), originally a dairy farmer from Carbon County
, Wyoming
, served as a Democrat
in both houses of the Wyoming State Legislature from 1979 to 1986. He was a member of the Wyoming House of Representatives
for two two-year terms, and he served a single four-year term in the Wyoming State Senate. In 1987, Democratic Governor Mike Sullivan named him to the Wyoming Board of Equalization.
In 1990, he relocated to Casper
to become the director of the Wyoming Rural Electric Association. In 1993 he was appointed in the Clinton
administration as Wyoming state director of the United States Department of Agriculture
.
Trowbridge was born in Superior
in Nuckolls County
in southern Nebraska
to Elton Trowbridge
(1904–1974) and the former Irene Kohr, who were teachers and farmers. He came to Carbon County
in 1935, when his parents purchased the farm on Cow Creek. He graduated in 1948 from Saratoga High School, where he participated in 4-H Club and was the editor of the school yearbook. Trowbridge graduated in 1952 from the College of Agriculture of the University of Wyoming
in Laramie
, where he was a member of the student senate, Kappa Sigma
fraternity
, and the Reserve Officers Training Corps. He then served as a lieutenant
in the United States Army
from 1952 to 1954.
On returning to Saratoga, Trowbridge served on the school board while continuing to operate the family farm. Elton Trowbridge was first elected in 1960 as a Democrat to the Wyoming House. He served until his death in office in 1974. Tom Trowbridge then moved to a ranch on Beaver Creek in Carbon County ten miles southeast of Grand Encampment
, known as "Encampment".
Trowbridge was living in Encampment at the time of his election to the legislature five years after his father had vacated the seat. In the House, Trowbridge served on two committees: (1) Judiciary and (2) Transportation and Highways Committee. In the Senate, he served on three committees: (1) Agriculture, Public Lands & Water Resources, (2) Travel, Recreation & Wildlife, and (3) Mines, Minerals and Industrial Development. His obituary
says that as a legislator, he "worked to represent fairly Wyoming small towns and rural citizens."
Trowbridge was Presbyterian and supported the Ranchers' Camp Meeting and Roundup Riders of the Rockies, an organization which claims "dedication to the perpetuation of the western
tradition associated with the relationship between the American cowboy
and his horse
."
Trowbridge died in Cheyenne
of complications of Alzheimer’s disease. He was divorce
d from Shelmer Astleford “Shellie” Powley of Sun City
, Arizona
, and Joan Finch of Casper. Survivors included a daughter, Marilee T. Harper and husband, Ralph Terry Harper, of Saratoga; a son, Truit J. Trowbridge and wife, Christy, of San Diego
, California
; a granddaughter, Lisa Harper of Saratoga; a sister, Marietta T. Dinneen of Cheyenne, and two nephews, John W. Dinneen and James T. Dinneen, also from Cheyenne.
Services were held on July 13, 2009, in the Platte Valley Christian Center in Saratoga. Interment was at Saratoga Cemetery.
Carbon County, Wyoming
Carbon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wyoming. As of 2010, the population was 15,885. Its county seat is Rawlins.- History :Carbon County was organized in 1868....
, Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
, served as a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
in both houses of the Wyoming State Legislature from 1979 to 1986. He was a member of the Wyoming House of Representatives
Wyoming House of Representatives
The Wyoming House of Representatives is the lower house of the Wyoming State Legislature. There are 60 Representatives in the House, representing an equal amount of single-member constituent districts across the state, each with a population of at least 9,000. The House convenes at the Wyoming...
for two two-year terms, and he served a single four-year term in the Wyoming State Senate. In 1987, Democratic Governor Mike Sullivan named him to the Wyoming Board of Equalization.
In 1990, he relocated to Casper
Casper, Wyoming
Casper is the county seat of Natrona County, Wyoming, United States.. Casper is the second-largest city in Wyoming , according to the 2010 census, with a population of 55,316...
to become the director of the Wyoming Rural Electric Association. In 1993 he was appointed in the Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
administration as Wyoming state director of the United States Department of Agriculture
United States Department of Agriculture
The United States Department of Agriculture is the United States federal executive department responsible for developing and executing U.S. federal government policy on farming, agriculture, and food...
.
Trowbridge was born in Superior
Superior, Nebraska
Superior is a city in Nuckolls County, Nebraska, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 1,957.Superior bills itself as the "Victorian Capital of Nebraska", and holds an annual Victorian Festival...
in Nuckolls County
Nuckolls County, Nebraska
Nuckolls County is a county located in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 4,500. Its county seat is Nelson....
in southern Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
to Elton Trowbridge
Elton Trowbridge
Elton F. Trowbridge was a dairy farmer from Carbon County, Wyoming, who served as a Democrat in the Wyoming House of Representatives from 1961 until his death during his seventh consecutive two-year term....
(1904–1974) and the former Irene Kohr, who were teachers and farmers. He came to Carbon County
Carbon County, Wyoming
Carbon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wyoming. As of 2010, the population was 15,885. Its county seat is Rawlins.- History :Carbon County was organized in 1868....
in 1935, when his parents purchased the farm on Cow Creek. He graduated in 1948 from Saratoga High School, where he participated in 4-H Club and was the editor of the school yearbook. Trowbridge graduated in 1952 from the College of Agriculture of the University of Wyoming
University of Wyoming
The University of Wyoming is a land-grant university located in Laramie, Wyoming, situated on Wyoming's high Laramie Plains, at an elevation of 7,200 feet , between the Laramie and Snowy Range mountains. It is known as UW to people close to the university...
in Laramie
Laramie, Wyoming
Laramie is a city in and the county seat of Albany County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 30,816 at the . Located on the Laramie River in southeastern Wyoming, the city is west of Cheyenne, at the junction of Interstate 80 and U.S. Route 287....
, where he was a member of the student senate, Kappa Sigma
Kappa Sigma
Kappa Sigma , commonly nicknamed Kappa Sig, is an international fraternity with currently 282 active chapters and colonies in North America. Kappa Sigma has initiated more than 240,000 men on college campuses throughout the United States and Canada. Today, the Fraternity has over 175,000 living...
fraternity
Fraternities and sororities
Fraternities and sororities are fraternal social organizations for undergraduate students. In Latin, the term refers mainly to such organizations at colleges and universities in the United States, although it is also applied to analogous European groups also known as corporations...
, and the Reserve Officers Training Corps. He then served as a lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
from 1952 to 1954.
On returning to Saratoga, Trowbridge served on the school board while continuing to operate the family farm. Elton Trowbridge was first elected in 1960 as a Democrat to the Wyoming House. He served until his death in office in 1974. Tom Trowbridge then moved to a ranch on Beaver Creek in Carbon County ten miles southeast of Grand Encampment
Grand Encampment, Wyoming
Grand Encampment is a town in Carbon County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 443 at the 2000 census.-History:Known also as "Encampment", this town along the Colorado-Wyoming border was, at the turn of the twentieth century, a booming center of copper mining and smelting...
, known as "Encampment".
Trowbridge was living in Encampment at the time of his election to the legislature five years after his father had vacated the seat. In the House, Trowbridge served on two committees: (1) Judiciary and (2) Transportation and Highways Committee. In the Senate, he served on three committees: (1) Agriculture, Public Lands & Water Resources, (2) Travel, Recreation & Wildlife, and (3) Mines, Minerals and Industrial Development. His obituary
Obituary
An obituary is a news article that reports the recent death of a person, typically along with an account of the person's life and information about the upcoming funeral. In large cities and larger newspapers, obituaries are written only for people considered significant...
says that as a legislator, he "worked to represent fairly Wyoming small towns and rural citizens."
Trowbridge was Presbyterian and supported the Ranchers' Camp Meeting and Roundup Riders of the Rockies, an organization which claims "dedication to the perpetuation of the western
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
tradition associated with the relationship between the American cowboy
Cowboy
A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the vaquero traditions of northern Mexico and became a figure of...
and his horse
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
."
Trowbridge died in Cheyenne
Cheyenne, Wyoming
Cheyenne is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Wyoming and the county seat of Laramie County. It is the principal city of the Cheyenne, Wyoming, Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Laramie County. The population is 59,466 at the 2010 census. Cheyenne is the...
of complications of Alzheimer’s disease. He was divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
d from Shelmer Astleford “Shellie” Powley of Sun City
Sun City, Arizona
Sun City is a census-designated place and unincorporated town in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. The population was 38,309 at the 2000 census...
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, and Joan Finch of Casper. Survivors included a daughter, Marilee T. Harper and husband, Ralph Terry Harper, of Saratoga; a son, Truit J. Trowbridge and wife, Christy, of San Diego
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
; a granddaughter, Lisa Harper of Saratoga; a sister, Marietta T. Dinneen of Cheyenne, and two nephews, John W. Dinneen and James T. Dinneen, also from Cheyenne.
Services were held on July 13, 2009, in the Platte Valley Christian Center in Saratoga. Interment was at Saratoga Cemetery.