Epaphroditus Champion was a nineteenth-century war veteran, politician and land owner from Connecticut.
Background
Champion was born in Colchester, Connecticut, son of Colonel Henry Champion and Deborah (Brainard) Champion. Champion helped his father gather a herd of 300 cattle at Hartford, Connecticut and drive them west to King"s Ferry, across the Hudson, into New Jersey, across the Delaware to Washington"s famished troops west of the Schuylkill.
Education
He was educated both by private tutors and in the common schools.
Career
He served as a United States. Representative from Connecticut. He served as captain in the Twenty-fourth Regiment of the Connecticut State militia from 1784 to 1792, as major from 1793 to 1794, as lieutenant colonel from 1795 to 1798, and as brigadier general of the Seventh Brigade from 1800 to 1803. He worked as a merchant, shipowner, exporter and importer.
He was successful in conducting trade in the West Indies.
He was elected as a Federalist candidate to the Tenth United States Congress and to the four succeeding Congresses, serving from March 4, 1807 to March 3, 1817. After serving in Congress, he resumed his former business activities.
He is interred in Riverview Cemetery in East Haddam. His epitaph reads, "Talents, benevolence and integrity characterized his spotless life."
The home is named the General Epaphroditus Champion House and was built in a late-Georgian style.
Membership
Member Conn; member United States House