Governor Thomas Chittenden

THOMAS CHITTENDEN was born in East Guilford (now Madison), Connecticut. He became a Justice of the Peace in Salisbury, Connecticut and served as a member of the Colonial Assembly from 1765 to 1769. He served in Connecticut’s 14 th Regiment from 1767 to 1773, rising to the rank of Colonel. In 1774 he moved to the New Hampshire Grants (now Vermont) where he engaged in land speculation and helped to prepare Vermont’s first request for statehood. When Vermont became an independent republic in July 1777, Chittenden served as a delegate to the convention that framed Vermont’s constitution and was elected president of the Vermont Council of Safety. He served as the republic’s governor from 1778 to 1789 and 1790 to 1791. After Vermont achieved statehood in 1791, Chittenden continued to serve as governor until his death in 1797. Chittenden’s legacy is marked by his role in Vermont’s founding and his efforts to establish an independent state government.