William Pitkin was an American colonial judge and governor of Connecticut.
Background
He was born on April 30, 1694 in Hartford, Connecticut, United States, son of William and Elizabeth (Stanley) Pitkin.
His father was a prosperous manufacturer, cloth merchant, public man, and jurist, who was the son of William Pitkin, 1635-1694, the first of the family in America.
Education
There is no information about his education.
Career
He and his brother Joseph operated the fulling mills bequeathed to them by their father. William alone fell heir to the clothier's shop where much of their cloth was sold. His father intended him to be a merchant, but from the age of twenty-one, when he was chosen rate collector, to his death at seventy-five, he was almost constantly in the service of his town or colony.
A captain of the train band at thirty-six, he later became major and colonel (1739) in the first regiment. When the Connecticut frontier in 1733 feared an Indian war instigated by the French, Pitkin sat on the committee for defense. Again in 1740 he was active in the cause of defense, a member of the council on war, a war financier concerned with the issue of bills of credit, enrolment officer for the volunteers of Hartford County who were to war on Spain in the West Indies, and later (1743) committeeman for war.
After service as commissioner to treat with the Iroquois, he was sent in 1754 to the Albany Congress with Roger Wolcott and Elisha Williams. Their instructions were carefully restrictive, discouraging presents for the Indians and advocating generous royal military assistance with a minimum of financial and military aid from the colony.
After an apprenticeship as justice of the peace, William Pitkin received appointment as judge of the county court where he presided from 1735 to 1752. The General Court of the colony elected him in 1741 to the bench of the highest court in Connecticut, the superior court. Here he served faithfully until his election to the lieutenant-governorship in 1754 made him, for twelve years, its chief judge.
Meanwhile he had been active in politics. After four years in the Assembly as delegate from Hartford, he became its speaker (1732 - 34). Twice defeated in the election of assistants, he obtained his seat in 1734. In this capacity he served for twenty years, occasionally combining his duties with those of colonial auditor, canvasser of votes, or commissioner on the Massachusetts boundary and on Mohegan affairs (both 1752).
By the time he became deputy governor (1754 - 66) under Governor Fitch, he was known as a champion of colonial rights against the royal government. Consequently, when Governor Fitch in October 1765 took the oath to administer the Stamp Act, Pitkin received the nomination of the colonial rights men, given perhaps through a meeting of the Sons of Liberty for governor. The election was a landslide, and after being twice reelected, and having creditably served nearly three terms, Pitkin died in office in October 1769.
Achievements
Religion
William, a man of evident piety, was probably a member of the Third Church, that in East Hartford where he lived and owned considerable real property.
Personality
He was of good figure, tall, affable, and reputed to be "an Example of universal Goodness in all Relations. "
Connections
On May 7, 1724, he was married to Mary Woodbridge, the daughter of the Rev. Timothy Woodbridge of the First Church.