Chittenden, Gov. Thomas

Life DatesJanuary 6 1730

Thomas Chittenden was born in East Guilfrord on January 6, 1730. He married Elizabeth Meigs on October 4, 1949. Shortly thereafter, he moved to Sailsbury in Addison County of Vermont. By 1766, Chittenden was an established and respected resident of Vermont; he was sent as a representative to the Colonial Legislature from 1766 to 1769 and in 1772, he was appointed Colonel of Militia and Justice of the Peace. In 1774, Chittenden left Addison County for Chittenden County. In 1776, Chittenden and his family were driven from their home in Willinston by the Brittish. The next year, Chittenden became a member of the General Convention and helped to draft a new state constitution. In 1788, he was elected the first Governor of Vermont. During his tenure, he led the state through the Revolutionary war and was notably humane in his treatment of the Tories.