Background

Martin Chittenden, the son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Meigs) Chittenden, was born on March 12, 1763 at Salisbury, Connecticut, United States. When he was about five years old his family removed to Vermont and settled at Williston, where he grew to manhood.

Education

Martin was sent to Dartmouth College and received his degree in 1789.

Career

On September 7, 1790, Chittenden was elected to the General Assembly as the representative of the town of Jericho, where he had taken up his residence. For eight years he held this office, and, upon his removal to Williston in 1798, he was immediately elected to the same office from that town. In 1791 he was a delegate from Jericho to the Bennington convention, called to ratify the Federal Constitution; and, in 1793, he attended the constitutional convention held at Windsor. He was clerk of the Chittenden County Court, later an assistant justice, and finally chief judge, an office he resigned upon his election to Congress, as a Representative, in 1803. He was reelected four times.

In 1811 and again in 1812 he was a candidate for the governorship of the state, but was defeated both times by his brother-in-law, Jonas Galusha who married Mary Chittenden. The next year he ran again, as a Federalist, against Galusha. As neither candidate had a majority of the votes cast, the election was decided by the House, who chose Chittenden by a majority of one.

The following November he issued his proclamation, recalling' the Vermont militia from New York, where it had been taken under the command of Elias Fassett, who was removed from command by the Assembly at the instance of the Governor, and replaced by Jacob Davis. Chittenden maintained that the militia should not leave the state, and that an officer of the United States Army (Fassett held also a federal commission) did not have the power to call the militia for service outside of the state. The matter was brought up in Congress the following January, when resolutions were presented ordering the prosecution of Chittenden before the Supreme Court of the United States, but, as they failed to carry, nothing further was done. Later in the war, however, Chittenden cooperated with the officers of the army in calling for volunteers for the defenses of Plattsburg.

In 1814 he was a candidate for reelection, with Galusha as a rival. This time he polled more votes than his opponent, but not a majority, so, once more, he was elected by the House. During this second term Governor Chittenden presented to the Assembly the proposal of the Massachusetts legislature that delegates be sent to Hartford to consider certain proposed amendments to the Federal Constitution. In 1815, Galusha defeated Chittenden in the election for governor, and the latter, except for a term as judge of probate in 1821-1823, practically retired from active political life, and spent the remainder of his years on his farm in Williston.

Achievements

• Martin Chittenden became well known for his service in Vermont legislature, U. S. Congress and state government.

Works

More photos

• book

  • The American Fur Trade of the Far West, Vol. 1

    ( Epic in sweep and reach, strongly written and superbly ...)

Politics

Chittenden was a member of the Federalist Party.

Connections

Chittenden was married, in 1796, to Anna Bentley, by whom he had twelve children.

Father:

Thomas Chittenden

Mother:

Elizabeth (Meigs) Chittenden

Spouse:

Anna Bentley

brother-in-law:

Jonas Galusha

References

• The Vermont Encyclopedia
• The American Fur Trade of the Far West Two Volumes in One
• History of Early Steamboat Navigation on the Missouri River, Vol. 1 of 2: Life and Adventures of Joseph La Barge, Pioneer Navigator and Indian Trader, ... of the Missouri Valley (Classic Reprint)
• A Biographical History of the County of Litchfield, Connecticut: Comprising Biographical Sketches of Distinguished Natives and Residents of the ... Justices of the Quorum, County Commissi