Thomas Porter (February 15, 1734 – May 30, 1833) was a Connecticut and Vermont military and political figure who served as Speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives.
Thomas Porter | |
|---|---|
| Judge of the Rutland County, Vermont Court | |
| In office 1787–1789 | |
| Preceded by | Increase Moseley |
| Succeeded by | Ebenezer Marvin |
| Judge of the Vermont Supreme Court | |
| In office 1783–1785 | |
| Preceded by | Jonas Fay |
| Succeeded by | None (position eliminated) |
| Member of the Vermont Governor's Council | |
| In office 1782–1795 | |
| Preceded by | Bezaleel Woodward |
| Succeeded by | Samuel Williams |
| Assistant Judge of the Rutland County, Vermont Court | |
| In office 1781–1782 | |
| Preceded by | None (position created) |
| Succeeded by | William Ward |
| Speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives | |
| In office 1780–1782 | |
| Preceded by | Samuel Robinson |
| Succeeded by | Increase Moseley |
| Member of the Vermont House of Representatives | |
| In office 1780–1782 | |
| Preceded by | Charles Brewster |
| Succeeded by | Ebenezer Marvin |
| Constituency | Tinmouth |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 15, 1734 |
| Died | May 30, 1833 (aged 99) |
| Resting place | Sawyer Cemetery, Tinmouth, Vermont, US |
| Spouse |
Abigail Howe (m. 1758–1812) |
| Children | 7 (including Ebenezer Porter) |
| Occupation | Farmer |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service | Connecticut Militia |
Years of service | 1761–1779 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Commands | Cornwall Company |
| Wars | American Revolutionary War |
Biography
editThomas Porter was born in Farmington, Connecticut Colony, on February 15, 1734, and became a farmer in Cornwall. He served with the British during the French and Indian War and held several local offices, including member of the Connecticut House of Representatives.[1][2]
Porter served in the Connecticut Militia from 1761 through the early years of the American Revolution and advanced to command of the Cornwall Company with the rank of captain.[3][4] He relocated to Tinmouth, Vermont in 1779.[5]
In 1780 Porter was elected to the Vermont House of Representatives. He served until 1782 and was Speaker of the House during his entire House tenure.[6]
Porter resigned as Speaker to accept election to the Governor's Council, on which he served until 1795.[7]
From 1781 to 1782 Porter was Assistant Judge of the Rutland County Court, and he was the court's Chief Judge from 1788 to 1789.[8]
In 1783 Porter became a Judge on the Vermont Supreme Court, serving until 1785.[9]
He died in Granville, New York on May 30, 1833.[10] Porter was buried at Sawyer Cemetery in Tinmouth.
Porter was the father of college president and theologian Ebenezer Porter.[11]
References
edit- ↑ Men of Vermont Illustrated, by Jacob G. Ullery, 1894, page 174
- ↑ The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, by New England Historic Genealogical Society, Volume 9, 1855, page 54
- ↑ Hoadly, Charles J. (1880). The Public Records of the Colony of Connecticut from May 1757 to March 1762, Inclusive. Hartford, Connecticut: Case, Lockwood & Brainard. p. 509 – via Google Books.
- ↑ Hoadly, Charles J. (1887). The Public Records of the Colony of Connecticut from October 1772 to April 1775, Inclusive. Hartford, Connecticut: Case, Lockwood & Brainard. p. 168 – via Google Books.
- ↑ Magazine article, The Supreme Court of Vermont, The Green Bag: A Useless but Entertaining Magazine for Lawyers, by Russell S. Taft, January, 1894 (Volume 6 Number 1), page 22
- ↑ List of Speakers of the Vermont House of representatives, published by Vermont Secretary of State, Archives and Records Administration, 2012
- ↑ Records of the Governor and Council of the State of Vermont, published by E. P. Walton, (Montpelier), Volume 3, 1875, pages 1 to 2
- ↑ History of Rutland County, Vermont, by H. P. Smith and W. S. Rann, 1886, pages 142 to 143
- ↑ Reports of Cases Argued and Determined in the Supreme Court of Vermont, by Daniel Chipman, Volume 1, 1824, page 6
- ↑ Annals of the American Pulpit: Trinitarian Congregational, by William Buell Sprague, 1857, page 351
- ↑ Memoir of the Life and Character of Ebenezer Porter, by Lyman Matthews, 1837, page 23