William Chamberlain (politician)

William Chamberlain (April 27, 1755 - September 27, 1828) was a United States Representative from Vermont. He was born in Hopkinton, Massachusetts and attended the common schools there. He moved with his father to Loudon, New Hampshire in 1774. He served as a sergeant during the American Revolutionary War and later engaged in land surveying and farming. He moved to Peacham, Vermont in 1780. Engaging in politics, he was the clerk of the proprietors of the town the same year, town clerk 1785-1797, and town representative for twelve years. His grandson, Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, later became a notable civil war general, and the governor of Maine.

Chamberlain was a member of the Vermont House of Representatives 1785, 1787-1796, 1805, and 1808. He also served as a justice of the peace 1786-1796 and delegate to the state constitutional convention in 1791. Militarily, he was a Brigadier General of Vermont militia in 1794 and was promoted to Major General in 1799. He was the assistant judge of Orange County in 1795 and chief judge of Caledonia County 1796-1803. He servered as secretary of the board of trustees of the Caledonia County Grammar School 1795-1812 and as the president of th body 1813-1828. He also was a state councilor 1796-1803. In 1800, he was Federalist presidential elector. He was elected as a Federalist to the Eighth Congress (March 4, 1803 - March 3, 1805) and reelected to the Eleventh Congress (March 4, 1809 - March 3, 1811). After Congress, he was Lieutenant Governor of Vermont 1813-1815 and a delegate to the state constitutional convention in 1814. He died in Peacham, Caledonia County, Vermont in 1828 and was buried in Peacham Cemetery.

References

*CongBio|C000280