Chittenden, Thomas (1730-1797), the first governor of Vermont, did much to secure the admission of that state to the Union in 1791. Early in 1777, he helped draw up a declaration to make Vermont “a new and separate state.” That same year, he helped draft its Constitution. In March 1778, he was elected governor. He held that office, except for one year, until a few weeks before his death.
Chittenden was born on Jan. 6, 1730, in East Guilford, Connecticut. He emigrated to Vermont, then part of New York Colony, in 1774. He died on Aug. 25, 1797.
