William Cahoon (January 12, 1774 – May 30, 1833) was an American judge and politician. He served as a

U.S. representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...

from

Vermont Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to ...

Biography

Cahoon was born in Providence in the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations to Daniel Cahoon Jr (1737-1811) and Lillis (Dyer) Cahoon (1740-1832). He attended the

common school A common school was a public school in the United States during the 19th century. Horace Mann (1796–1859) was a strong advocate for public education and the common school. In 1837, the state of Massachusetts appointed Mann as the first secretary ...

s. He moved with his parents to

Lyndon, Vermont Lyndon is a town in Caledonia County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 5,491. Lyndon is the home of Lyndon State College. The town contains one incorporated village, Lyndonville, and four unincorporated villages ...

in 1791 and engaged in milling and agricultural pursuits. He was a member of the Vermont State House of Representatives from 1802 until 1810. He succeeded his father as town clerk in Lyndon, and served from 1808 until 1829. Cahoon was a

presidential elector The United States Electoral College is the group of presidential electors required by the Constitution to form every four years for the sole purpose of appointing the president and vice president. Each state and the District of Columbia app ...

in 1808 and voted for Madison and Langdon. He was appointed major general in the militia in 1808 and served during the War of 1812. From 1811 until 1819, Cahoon served as Caledonia County judge. He was a delegate to the Vermont State constitutional conventions in 1814 and 1828, and a member of the Vermont

Governor's Council The governments of the Thirteen Colonies of British America developed in the 17th and 18th centuries under the influence of the British constitution. After the Thirteen Colonies had become the United States, the experience under colonial rule would ...

from 1815 until 1820. From 1820 until 1821, Cahoon served as the

Lieutenant Governor of Vermont The lieutenant governor of Vermont is elected for a two-year term and chosen separately from the governor. The Vermont Lieutenant Governor's main responsibilities include acting as governor when the governor is out of state or incapacitated, presi ...

. He was elected an Anti-Masonic candidate to the

Twenty-first United States Congress The 21st United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1829 ...

and the

Twenty-second United States Congress The 22nd United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 183 ...

, serving from March 4, 1829 until March 3, 1833. He was an unsuccessful candidate in 1832 for reelection to Congress.

Personal life

Cahoon had two sons, George C. Cahoon and Edward A. Cahoon. Edward was a Vermont State Senator.

Death

Cahoon died on May 30, 1833 in Lyndon, Vermont. He is interred at the Lyndon Town Cemetery in Lyndon Center.

References

External links

Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

Information from the Vermont Archives
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Govtrack.us

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cahoon, William 1774 births 1833 deaths Politicians from Providence, Rhode Island Vermont Democratic-Republicans Anti-Masonic Party politicians from Vermont Anti-Masonic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Vermont Members of the Vermont House of Representatives Burials in Vermont Members of the United States House of Representatives from Vermont