  thomas chittenden (january 6, 1730 â august 25, 1797) was an important figure in the founding of vermont, as the president of the vermont republic and the first governor of the state of vermont. ==biography== chittenden was born in east guilford, connecticut, married elizabeth meigs on october 4, 1749, in salisbury, connecticut. the couple had four sons and six daughters while they were living in connecticut. all the children survived to adulthood. he was justice of the peace in salisbury and a member of the colonial assembly from 1765 to 1769. he served in connecticut's 14th regiment from 1767 to 1773, rising to the rank of colonel. ==career== chittenden moved to the new hampshire grants, now vermont, in 1774, where he was the first settler in the town of williston. during the american revolution, chittenden was a member of a committee empowered to negotiate with the continental congress to allow vermont to join the union. the congress deferred the matter in order to not antagonize the states of new york and new hampshire, which had competing claims against vermont. in 1777, a convention was held in windsor, which drafted vermont's first constitution, establishing vermont as an independent republicâthe first republic in north america. during the period of the vermont republic, chittenden served as governor from 1778 to 1789 and 1790 to 1791, and was 
1730_births 1797_deaths American_people_of_English_descent Governors_of_Vermont Governors_of_the_Vermont_Republic People_from_Madison,_Connecticut People_from_Williston,_Vermont People_of_Vermont_in_the_American_Revolution People_of_pre-statehood_Vermont