Titus Hutchinson facts for kids
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Titus Hutchinson was an important American lawyer, politician, and judge. He was born on April 29, 1771, in Grafton, Massachusetts, and passed away on August 24, 1857, in Woodstock, Vermont. He served as a judge on the highest court in Vermont, the Vermont Supreme Court, from 1825 to 1833. For some of that time, from 1831 to 1833, he was even the Chief Judge.
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Early Life and Learning
Titus Hutchinson was the youngest of ten children. His father, Aaron Hutchinson, was a minister in Grafton, Massachusetts. In 1776, when Titus was five years old, his family moved to Pomfret, Vermont. Many of his family members became well-known citizens there.
His older brother, Aaron, became a successful lawyer. Another brother, Alexander, fought in the American Revolution. He later became the State Auditor for Vermont, checking the state's money.
Even though Titus didn't go to school regularly, he decided to go to college at age 19. He studied with his father and learned Latin very quickly. By 1792, he was ready to join Princeton University as a junior. He graduated from Princeton in 1794. After college, he studied law with his brother Aaron. He became a lawyer himself in 1798.
His Career in Law and Politics
In 1799, Titus Hutchinson opened his own law office in his home in Woodstock, Vermont. He quickly became a very successful lawyer. In 1801, he was chosen to be the postmaster, which meant he was in charge of the local mail. He held this job for three years.
From 1803 to 1813, he worked as the State's Attorney for Windsor County. This meant he was the chief prosecutor for that area. He also represented Woodstock in the state legislature nine times between 1804 and 1825. In 1810, he became a leader for the University of Vermont.
From 1813 to 1821, Titus Hutchinson served as the United States Attorney for Vermont. This was a very important job, representing the U.S. government in legal matters. In 1824, he tried to become a U.S. Senator but did not win.
In 1825, the Vermont legislature chose him to be a judge on the Vermont Supreme Court. This is the highest court in the state. In 1831, he became the Chief Justice, the top judge on the court. He served in this role until 1833.
Fighting for What's Right
Titus Hutchinson was a strong believer in justice and fairness. He was involved with the Anti-Masonic Party. This political group was against secret societies like the Freemasons, believing they had too much hidden power. His involvement with this party might have been why he left his judge position in 1833.
He also ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in 1833. He won the most votes in the first two rounds but lost in the final election.
Later, Hutchinson became involved with the Liberty Party. This party was very important because it was one of the first political parties in the United States to fight against slavery. In 1841, he ran for governor of Vermont as the Liberty Party candidate. He didn't win, but he got enough votes to show that many people supported his anti-slavery views.
He also ran for the U.S. House of Representatives three more times with the Liberty Party. He received a good number of votes, showing his strong support for ending slavery.
Titus Hutchinson was a presidential elector twice. This meant he was chosen to cast a vote for president. He voted for John Quincy Adams in 1824 and for William Henry Harrison in 1836.
Hutchinson had very strong feelings against slavery. He was part of the Underground Railroad, a secret network that helped enslaved people escape to freedom in Canada. It's said that there was even a hidden tunnel from his house in Woodstock to a nearby stream, Kedron Brook, to help people escape.
Family Life
Titus Hutchinson married Clarissa Sage in 1800. They had six children together. Three of their sons, Edwin, Oramel, and Henry, all became lawyers like their father. Another son, Titus, became a merchant. They also had two other children, Clarissa and Alexander. Alexander passed away while traveling to California.
