Wolcott, Oliver, 1726-1797

<p>Oliver Wolcott Sr. (November 20, 1726 – December 1, 1797) was an American Founding Father and politician. He was a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation as a representative of Connecticut, and the nineteenth Governor of Connecticut.</p>

<p>Wolcott was a major general for the Connecticut Militia in the Revolutionary War serving under George Washington.</p>

<p>Wolcott was born in Windsor, Connecticut, the youngest of 14 children born to colonial governor Roger Wolcott and Sarah Drake Wolcott. His elder brother was Erastus Wolcott. He attended Yale College, graduating in 1747 as the top scholar in his class. Upon graduation, New York Governor George Clinton granted Wolcott a captain's commission to raise a militia company to fight in the French and Indian War. Captain Wolcott served on the northern frontier defending the Canadian border against the French until the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle. At the end of the war, he moved to newly settled Goshen in northwestern Connecticut to practice and study medicine with his brother Alexander. He then moved to Litchfield and became a merchant; he was appointed sheriff of the newly created Litchfield County, Connecticut, serving from 1751 to 1771. He married Lorraine (Laura) Collins of Guilford, Connecticut on January 21, 1755. Their children were: Oliver (who died young), Oliver, Jr., Laura, Mariann, and Frederick.</p>

<ul><b>RACES</b>
<li>04/13/1797 CT Governor Won 100.00% (+100.00%)</li>
<li>04/14/1796 CT Governor Won 48.95% (+33.68%)</li>
<li>01/05/1796 CT Governor - Appointment Won 100.00% (+100.00%)</li>
<li>01/07/1789 CT Presidential Electors Won 14.29% (+0.00%)</li>
<li>04/08/1784 CT Governor Lost 15.37% (-16.62%)</li>
<li>04/10/1783 CT Governor Lost 13.01% (-18.29%)</li>
<li>12/31/1782 CT Continental Congress Won 100.00% (+100.00%)</li>
<li>12/31/1781 CT Continental Congress Won 100.00% (+100.00%)</li>
<li>04/12/1781 CT Governor Lost 5.65% (-33.11%)</li>
<li>12/31/1780 CT Continental Congress Won 100.00% (+100.00%)</li>
<li>12/31/1777 CT Continental Congress Won 100.00% (+100.00%)</li>
<li>12/31/1776 CT Continental Congress Won 100.00% (+100.00%)</li>
<li>12/31/1775 CT Continental Congress Won 100.00% (+100.00%)</li>
</ul>

<p>Oliver Wolcott was the youngest of fourteen children of then Royal Governor Roger Wolcott. Oliver attended Yale, a distiguished student, graduating in 1747. Even before graduating, he was commissioned by Governor Clinton of New York to raise a volunteer militia to assist in the French and Indian War. He did this, graduated Yale, and proceeded as Captain with his volunteer company to serve the crown on the northern frontier.</p>

<p>At the close of the war. Wolcott studied medicine with his brother for a while. As things took their course, he was appointed sheriff of a new Litchfield County, Connecticut, around 1751. He served as sheriff for more than twenty years. In 1771 he rejoined the Militia as revolutionary tensions grew. He was made a Major, and later a Colonel in the Connecticut Militia. Before the course of the war would end, he would become Brigadier General of the entire Connecticut force, under command of the Continental Armies.</p>

<p>In 1774 the Continental Congress appointed him a Commissioner of Indian Affairs in order to secure a treaty at the council at Albany. He was elected to the Congress in 1775. Wolcott was not very active in Congress. He was more concerned with military affairs and did suffer a bout with serious illness in 1776. He was not present for the occasion of the Declaration, but signed it some time later. He spent all of the time between 1776 and 1778 engaged in military affairs. In 1778 he was again elected to the congress, where he served until 1784.</p>