Huntington, Samuel, 1731-1796

<p>Samuel Huntington (July 16, 1731 [O.S. July 5, 1731] – January 5, 1796) was a Founding Father of the United States and a jurist, statesman, and Patriot in the American Revolution from Connecticut. As a delegate to the Continental Congress, he signed the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation. He also served as President of the Continental Congress from 1779 to 1781, President of the United States in Congress Assembled in 1781, chief justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court from 1784 to 1785, and the 18th Governor of Connecticut from 1786 until his death. He was the first United States governor to have died while in office.</p>

<p>Huntington was born to Nathaniel and Mehetabel Huntington on July 16, 1731, in Windham, Connecticut Colony (his birthplace is now in Scotland, Connecticut, which broke off from Windham in 1857). His house is currently accessible off Route 14. He was the fourth of ten children and the oldest son. He had a limited education in the common schools, then was self-educated. When he was 16 he was apprenticed to a cooper but also continued to help his father on the farm. His education came from the library of Rev. Ebenezer Devotion and books borrowed from local lawyers.</p>

<p>In 1754 Huntington was admitted to the bar, and moved to Norwich, Connecticut, to begin practicing law. He married Martha Devotion (Rev. Devotion's daughter) in 1761. They remained together until her death in 1794. The couple did not birth any children, but when his brother (Rev. Joseph Huntington) died they adopted their nephew and niece. They raised Samuel H. Huntington and Frances as their own. Samuel Huntington never owned slaves.</p>

<ul><b>RACES</b>
<li>09/01/1795 CT Governor Won 100.00% (+100.00%)</li>
<li>10/01/1794 CT Governor Won 100.00% (+100.00%)</li>
<li>11/01/1793 CT Governor Won 100.00% (+100.00%)</li>
<li>12/01/1792 CT Governor Won 100.00% (+100.00%)</li>
<li>04/14/1791 CT Governor Won 100.00% (+100.00%)</li>
<li>04/08/1790 CT Governor Won 100.00% (+100.00%)</li>
<li>04/09/1789 CT Governor Won 100.00% (+100.00%)</li>
<li>02/04/1789 US Vice President Lost 2.86% (-45.71%)</li>
<li>02/04/1789 U.S. President Lost 1.45% (-48.55%)</li>
<li>01/07/1789 CT Presidential Electors Won 14.29% (+0.00%)</li>
<li>04/10/1788 CT Governor Won 100.00% (+100.00%)</li>
<li>04/12/1787 CT Governor Won 100.00% (+100.00%)</li>
<li>04/13/1786 CT Governor Won 30.35% (-20.57%)</li>
<li>04/08/1784 CT Governor Lost 17.17% (-14.81%)</li>
<li>04/10/1783 CT Governor Lost 12.70% (-18.61%)</li>
<li>12/31/1782 CT Continental Congress Won 100.00% (+100.00%)</li>
<li>04/12/1781 CT Governor Lost 9.54% (-29.21%)</li>
<li>03/01/1781 US President of the Congress Won 100.00% (+100.00%)</li>
<li>12/31/1780 CT Continental Congress Won 100.00% (+100.00%)</li>
<li>12/31/1779 CT Continental Congress Won 100.00% (+100.00%)</li>
<li>12/31/1778 CT Continental Congress Won 100.00% (+100.00%)</li>
<li>12/31/1777 CT Continental Congress Won 100.00% (+100.00%)</li>
<li>12/31/1775 CT Continental Congress Won 100.00% (+100.00%)</li>
</ul>

Samuel Huntington was one of the several maverick public servants of his era, devoting nearly all of his life to public office. Self-taught, he gained admittance to the Bar of Connecticut at the age of 23, and was soon thereafter appointed King's attorney to the town of Norwich. He served many offices and duties there until 1773, when he was appointed to the superior Court of Connecticut. Huntington was a moderate, with a distinctly upper-class bent, but he became active with the Sons of Liberty in his state in 1774. He then choose a legislative course. Elected to Connecticut's Upper House of Assembly in 1776, he served on the Council of Safety, and was selected a delegate to the Continental Congress that year. He served two terms as President of the Congress during the important adoption of the Articles of Confederation. He was called home in 1784 when he was elected Lieutenant Governor if his state; an office that then included the duties of Chief judge of its Superior Court. In 1786 he was elected governor. He was very popular in the office and used his influence to develop roads and industry in the state. He was re-elected every term until his death 1796.