Paul Brigham

Paul Brigham (* January 17, 1746 in Coventry, Connecticut, † June 15, 1824 in Norwich, Vermont ) was an American politician, lawyer and Governor of the U.S. state of Vermont.

Born in Connecticut Paul Brigham served like most Americans of his generation in the Continental Army during the American Revolution, where he rose from the captain of the 8th Connecticut Regiment and as a participant of the oath of Valley Forge to the rank of general. On October 6, 1768, he married Lydia Sawyer in the First Congregational Church in Coventry. During the campaigns he had the neighboring state of Vermont to know and appreciate and settled then in May 1781 or 1782 in Norwich down.

Brigham Soon afterwards belonged to the prominent upper classes of the state by advocating its interests both at the local and state level. As a representative of Norwich, he sat in the House of Representatives of Vermont, took part in the deliberations of the Constitutional State and worked as chief judge of the Windsor County ( 1801).

For the first time he was elected to the Board of Governors in 1792. He held until 1796 when he was appointed Deputy Governor this seat. Remarkably, Brigham remained despite all the political changes in 1813 to the office. In that year he had indeed associated with 49 % of the vote, the majority of the votes, but his rival candidate William Chamberlain, who was numbered among the Federalists, after all, scored 48 percent. Then they left the decision of the legislature, which began Chamberlin. Two years later, Brigham returned to this office back again to apply it to 1820.

In 1797 he came, however, more involuntarily to higher political honors. Since Thomas Chittenden died suddenly, Brigham moved by and represented as Vermont governor for almost two months ( August 25 to October 16 ) to the Inauguration of Isaac Tichenor. He also served as an elector in the U.S. presidential election of 1792.

Brigham died in Norwich on June 15, 1824 at the age of 78 years. He is survived by his daughter Lydia Brigham Lathrop ( married to Joseph Lathrop ) from his marriage with Lydia Sawyer.