Samuel Huntington
American Founding Father and politician (1731–1796)
Who was Samuel Huntington?
Samuel Huntington lived from July 16, 1731 to January 5, 1796. Samuel Huntington (July 16, 1731 – January 5, 1796) was a Founding Father of the United States and a lawyer, jurist, statesman, and Patriot in the American Revolution from Connecticut. Huntington was born to Nathaniel and Mehetabel Huntington on July 16, 1731, in Windham, Connecticut Colony in present-day Scotland, Connecticut, which broke off from Windham in 1857. 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 family farm. 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. His house is currently accessible off Route 14.
Historical significance
He was the first United States governor to have died while in office. He was the fourth of ten children and the oldest son.