Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 10.djvu/213

 TRUMBULL

TRUMBULL

on account of advancing age. During the Revo- lutionary war, he was ex-officio chairman of the council of safety; did much toward raising troops for the prosecution of the cause, and was a staunch friend and adviser of General Wash- ington, early assuring him of the loyal support of •Connecticut to the cause of American independ- ence, and upholding him throughout the war. Washington, wlien in doubt as to his course of action, frequently said, " Let us consult Brother Jonathan," thus giving rise to the name as repre- senting the American people. The honorary degree of LL.D. was conferred upon Governor Trumbull by Yale, in 1775, and by the University of Edinburgh, in 1787. He was married, Dec. 9, 1735, to Faith, daughter of the Rev. John and Hannah (Wiswall) Robinson of Duxbury, Mass., and of his children, Jonathan (q.v.) was gover- nor of Connecticut, 1798-1809; Joseph (q.v.) was the first commissary general of the Continental army; David was commissary of the colony and assistant commissary under his brother; John (q.v.) became a noted liistorical painter; Faith married Gen. Jedidiah Huntington, and Mary married William Williams, the signer. In 1896, on the chimney above the fireplace in the old war office at Lebanon, the Connecticut Society Sons of the American Revolution caused to be erected a. bronze slab on which is inscribed: 1775-1783. Lebanon War Office. During the War of the Revolution, Governor Jonathan Trumbull and the Council of Safety held more than eleven hun- dred meetings in this building, and here also came many distinguished officers of the Continental Army and French Allies. Their Monument is more Enduring than Bronze. Governor Trum- bull died in Lebanon, Conn., Aug. 17, 1785.

TRUriBULL, Jonathan, governor of Conn- ecticut, was born in Lebanon, Conn., March 26, 1740; son of Gov. Jonathan and Faith (Robin- son) Trumbull. He was graduated from Harvard in 1759; settled in Lebanon, and was married, March 26, 1767, to Eunice, daughter of Ebenezer and Eunice (Dyer) Backus. He was a represent- ative in the Connecticut legislature, and for sev- eral terms served as speaker of the house, and in 1775 he joined the Continental army as paymaster of the Northern department. On the death of his elder brother. Col. Joseph Trumbull, July 23, 1778, he resigned his office and devoted himself to the settlement of Joseph's public and private af- fairs. He was first comptroller of the U.S. treas- ury, under Roger Sherman's plan of oi'ganization in 1778; he was appointed secretary and first aide-de-camp to Gen. George Washington; was a Federalist representative in the 1st, 2d and 3d congresses, 1789-95, serving as speaker of the house in the 2d congress, and was U.S. senator as successor to Stephen Nix Mitchell (who re-

signed, April 13, 1794), serving until his resigna- tion in 1796, to become lieutenant-governor of Connecticut. In 1798 he succeeded Oliver Wol- cott to the governorship, remaining in office until his death, in Lebanon, Conn., Aug. 7, 1809.

TRUriBULL, Joseph, first commissary-gen- eral of the Continental army, was born in Leb- anon, Conn., March 11, 1737; the eldest son of Johnathan and Faith (Robinson) Trumbull. He was graduated from Harvard, A.B., 1756, A.M., 1759, and became associated with his father in business and in Revolutionary service. He was married in Marcli, 1777, to Amelia, daughter of Eliphalet Dyer of Windham, Conn. He was ap- pointed an alternate delegate from Connecticut to the Continental congress, 1774, but Roger Slier- man, also an alternate delegate filled the vacancy. He joined the Continental army as commissarv- general with the rank of colonel, July 19, 1775, and served in that capacity till Aug. 2, 1777, and was commissioner of the board of war, 1777-78, resigning liis seat in April, 1778, on account of ill health. He died in the home of his father at Lebanon, Conn., July 23, 1778.

TRUriBULL, Joseph, governor of Connecti- cut, was born in Lebanon, Conn., Dec. 7, 1782; son of David and Sarah (Backus) Trumbull; and grandson of Jonathan and Faith (Robinson) Trumbull. He was graduated from Yale in 1801; admitted to the bar at Windham, Conn., in 1803, and practised in Hartford, Conn., 1804-28. He was president of the Hartford bank; a represent- ative in the state legislature in 1832; was elected a Whig representative in the 23d congress to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of William W. Ellsworth, serving, 1834-35, and was re- elected to the 26th and 27th congresses, 1839-43. He was returned to the state legislature in 1848, and again in 1851, and was governor of Connecti- cut, 1849-50. The honoi-ary degree of LL.D. was conferred on him by Yale in 1849. He died in Hartford, Conn., Aug. 4, 1861.

TRUriBULL, Lyman, senator, was born in Colchester, Conn., Oct. 12, 1813; son of Benjamin and Elizabeth (Mather) Trumbull; grandson of the Rev. Benjamin Trumbull, the liistoriaii (q.v.), and a lineal descendant of Increase Mather, and of John Trumbull, the immigrant. He attended Bacon academy; tauglit scliool in Connecticut, 1829-33, and studied and practised law in Green- ville, Ga., 1833-36; continuing his practice in Belleville, St. Clair county. 111., 1837-40. He was a Democratic representative in the Illinois legis- lature in 1840; secretary of state in 1841; justice of the state supreme court. 1848-53; was elected a Democratic representative in the 34th congress in 1854, but before his term began, was elected U.S. senator, defeating James Shields, Governor Matteson and Abraham Lincoln in 1855, and was