Henry Whittleston

**Henry Whittleston** was a General in the American Revolution, French Revolutionary Wars, and the 2nd American Civil War. Henry Whittleston also served as a Representative, Governor, Speaker of the House, Senator, and a Vice President of the United States.

## Early Life

Born in Norwalk, Connecticut, Whittleston was one of 3 kids, which included his older brother Gregory Whittleston and his younger brother Brian Whittleston. The Whittlestons had a typical farming upbringing, but in 1757 like his brother Gregory, he attended Norwalk University, there he studied economics.

In May of 1760 Henry was informed that his older brother Gregory had died in the Battle of Sainte-Foy. His brother had been a Lieutenant Colonel present for the battle, who was taken off his horse by a stray musket shot. The death of Gregory pushed Henry into the military, and in 1761 after he graduated, he enlisted in the Connecticut Militia as a Lieutenant.

## Military Service

In late 1761 Henry signed up for the Connecticut Militia, and he would be assigned as a Lieutenant. Whittleston was held in high regards, and would be sent to Connecticut's western holdings in 1763. Whittleston would fight in several battles and skirmishes with natives, by 1774 Henry had been promoted to a Colonel, by then he was recalled to main Connecticut. Whittleston, upon the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, would be promoted to Brigadier General, and would be put in charge of a large sum of men. Whittleston would fight in the Battle of Rhode Island to defend from a British invasion, and later in the Battle of Norwalk where he successfully routed British raiders.

Whittleston would be sent off to fight in France in 1797, but he would not see any action, most of the time in Paris until all troops were recalled in 1800 on the outbreak of the 2nd United States Civil War. Whittelston's home state of Connecticut would leave the United States in late May of 1800, and Whittleston would remain in service of Connecticut, fighting in the Battle of Norwalk, where the city would be decimated and lost, a deep personal loss for Henry as his cousin Craig Whittleston, a Captain was also killed during the battle.

## Congress

Henry Whittleston would draft the Crimes Act of 1791, Territorial Distributions Act of 1793, and the Flag Act of 1793. Henry Whittleston would be nominated for Speaker of the House in August of 1793 after Jonathan Banks Jr. was removed from his Speakership for disorderly conduct. Whittleston would oversee and help pass both the Territorial Distributions Act of 1793 and the Women's Rights Act of 1793, and Whittleston would leave the Speakership in March of 1795 to join the Senate.

Whittleston was elected to the Senate in 1794 to replace James Hillhouse, who he himself had been appointed to replace Oliver Ellsworth who had joined the United States Supreme Court. Whittleston joined the Senate in 1795, and would leave it in 1797 for the Vice Presidency, never doing anything of substance in the position.

## Vice Presidency

On March 4, 1796 after the very contentious Presidential Election of 1796, Henry Whittleston was inaugurated as Vice President of the United States. Whittleston had abandoned the Constitutional Democratic Party after their betrayal in the Election of 1796, joining the Party for Democracy for the beginning of his term. During his tenure Whittleston helped passed the Naval Act of 1797 and the Bank of America Act through the Senate, some of his last national services. In 1799 after the formation of the Democratic Union Party from his party, the Party for Democracy, and the Democratic Party; this union would be held under Democratic Party chairman Linda Banks, and several members of the Party for Democracy didn't like this, causing an exodus from the party to the People's Vote.

In 1800 after Whittleston's home state of Connecticut left the United States, Whittleston would soon follow, resigning as Vice President on June 16, 1800, and being succeeded by Secretary of State James Madison, who also left when his home state of Virginia left in July of 1800, leaving Scott Benckendorf, the Secretary of the Treasury as the Vice President.

## Personal Life

Henry Whittleston grew up on his family's farm in Norwalk, Connecticut. In mid 1764 Whittleston would meet and marry his wife, Maria Windward. Henry's first son, John Whittleston, would be born on January 23, 1765 at a frontier base in Connecticut's western territories. On November 3, 1769 Henry Whittleston Jr. would be born and on July 30, 1771 Paula Whittleston would be born, unfortunately, Paula's birth would be followed by the death of Henry's father, Luther Whittleston, Henry would inherit his lands in Connecticut. After being recalled to Connecticut, Maria would give birth to Cecilia Whittleston on March 31, 1775. In 1780, George Whittleston would be born on February 29, 1780, and Whittleston's final son, Logan Whittleston, would be born on March 23, 1789. On June 3, 1799, Henry's uncle Wilfred Whittleston died, leaving his land to his only child Craig Whittleston, a Captain in the Connecticut Militia, in early 1801 Craig Whittleston would die in the Battle of Norwalk, with no children himself, his property went to Henry Whittleston.

Children:

* John Whittleston (Born: January 23, 1765)
* Henry Whittleston Jr. (Born: November 3, 1769)
* Paula Whittleston (Born: July 30, 1771)
* Cecilia Whittleston (Born: March 31, 1775)
* George Whittleston (Born: February 29, 1780)
* Logan Whittleston (Born: March 23, 1789)

Henry Whittleston passed away on March 7, 1803 at his home in Norwalk, Connecticut. Henry owned a number of properties, having 3 in Connecticut and 1 in Ohio, John Whittleston inherited Henry's main property, the one he passed at. Henry Jr. inherited the Ohio property, George inherited the George inherited Craig Whittleston's former property, and Paula, Cecilia, and Logan would split and share the 4th property near Hartford.