Lucius E. Chittenden
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Lucius Eugene Chittenden (May 24, 1824 – July 22, 1900) was an American author, banker, lawyer, politician and peace advocate who served as
Register of the Treasury The Register of the Treasury was an officer of the United States Treasury Department. In 1919, the office of the Register became the Public Debt Service which, in 1940, became the Bureau of the Public Debt. The Register's duties included filing the ...
during the
Lincoln Lincoln most commonly refers to: * Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865), the sixteenth president of the United States * Lincoln, England, cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England * Lincoln, Nebraska, the capital of Nebraska, U.S. * Lincoln ...
administration.


Early life

Chittenden was born in
Williston, Vermont Williston is a town in Chittenden County, Vermont, United States. Originally rural and laid out with many farms, in recent decades it has developed into a thriving suburb of Burlington, the largest city in the state of Vermont. As of the 2020 ce ...
, the son of Giles (1790–1856) and Betsey (Hollenbeck) Chittenden. He was the grandson of Truman Chittenden (1770–1853), grand-nephew of
Martin Chittenden Martin Chittenden (March 12, 1763September 5, 1840) was an American politician from Vermont. He served as a United States representative from 1803 to 1813 and as the seventh governor of Vermont from 1813 to 1815, during a crucial portion of the ...
, who served as governor of Vermont, and great-grandson of Vermont's first governor,
Thomas Chittenden Thomas Chittenden (January 6, 1730August 25, 1797) was an American politician from Vermont, who was a leader of the territory for nearly two decades. Chittenden was the first and third governor of the state of Vermont, serving from 1778 to 1789 ...
. Lucius Chittenden received his early education in the district schools of Williston and academies in Williston, Hinesburg and
Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge bec ...
. He studied law with several attorneys, and was
admitted to the bar An admission to practice law is acquired when a lawyer receives a license to practice law. In jurisdictions with two types of lawyer, as with barristers and solicitors, barristers must gain admission to the bar whereas for solicitors there are dist ...
in Franklin County in 1844. He opened a law office in
Burlington Burlington may refer to: Places Canada Geography * Burlington, Newfoundland and Labrador * Burlington, Nova Scotia * Burlington, Ontario, the most populous city with the name "Burlington" * Burlington, Prince Edward Island * Burlington Bay, no ...
the next year.


Politics

He became interested in politics and public affairs early in his career, gained prominence in the anti-slavery movement and the
Free Soil Party The Free Soil Party was a short-lived coalition political party in the United States active from 1848 to 1854, when it merged into the Republican Party. The party was largely focused on the single issue of opposing the expansion of slavery into ...
. From 1848 to 1851 he and E. A. Stansbury published the ''Free Soil Courier'' newspaper. After assisting the successful 1852 campaign of
Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...
John S. Robinson for governor, he became active in the newly formed Republican Party. He was elected
state senator A state senator is a member of a state's senate in the bicameral legislature of 49 U.S. states, or a member of the unicameral Nebraska Legislature. Description A state senator is a member of an upper house in the bicameral legislatures of 49 U ...
from Chittenden County, and served from 1857 to 1860, while also serving as president of the Commercial Bank in Burlington.


Civil War

In February 1861 Governor
Erastus Fairbanks Erastus Fairbanks (October 28, 1792November 20, 1864) was an American manufacturer, Whig politician, a founder of the Republican Party, and the 21st and 26th governor of Vermont. Biography Fairbanks was born in Brimfield, Massachusetts, to P ...
appointed Chittenden one of five Vermont delegates to the
Washington Peace Conference The Peace Conference of 1861 was a meeting of 131 leading American politicians in February 1861, at the Willard's Hotel in Washington, D.C., on the eve of the American Civil War. The purpose of the conference was to avoid, if possible, the seces ...
, which met to try avert the start of the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
. The other delegates were former Governor
Hiland Hall Hiland Hall (July 20, 1795 – December 18, 1885) was an American lawyer and politician who served as 25th governor of Vermont and a United States representative. Biography Hall was born in Bennington, Vermont. He attended the common schools, s ...
,
Levi Underwood Levi Underwood (December 24, 1821 – March 11, 1902) was a lawyer and politician from Vermont. Originally a Democrat, Underwood's antislavery views caused him to join the new Republican Party when it was founded. Underwood was most notable fo ...
,
Horace Henry Baxter Horace Henry Baxter (January 8, 1818 – February 17, 1884) was a Vermont businessman who served as Adjutant General of Vermont at the start of the American Civil War. He became President of the New York Central Railroad and was one of the major s ...
, and
Broughton Harris Broughton Harris (August 16, 1822—January 19, 1899) was a Vermont businessman and political figure. He was Secretary and Treasurer of Utah Territory, and became one of the Runaway Officials of 1851. Early life Harris was born in Chesterfield ...
. Chittenden was selected as recorder of the conference, and published its records in 1864. In March 1861, President Lincoln's new
Secretary of the Treasury The United States secretary of the treasury is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, and is the chief financial officer of the federal government of the United States. The secretary of the treasury serves as the principal a ...
,
Salmon P. Chase Salmon Portland Chase (January 13, 1808May 7, 1873) was an American politician and jurist who served as the sixth chief justice of the United States. He also served as the 23rd governor of Ohio, represented Ohio in the United States Senate, a ...
, who had also been a member of the Free Soil Party, offered Chittenden the position of Register of the U.S. Treasury. Chittenden accepted, and served for most of Lincoln's first term until resigning in 1864 due to poor health. During his term at the Treasury Department, Chittenden attracted notice when he worked to the point of exhaustion in order to ensure that a bond issue required to finance the
Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...
war effort could be issued on time. The 12,500 bond certificates needed to be sent to
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by steamship so they could be sold, and each certificate required Chittenden's signature. As a result, Chittenden stayed at his desk and signed certificates continuously over three days until the task was complete, ensuring that they could be shipped on time. Chittenden injured his hand and wrist in this work, which prompted him to resign as Register. Chittenden was also credited with bringing to Lincoln's attention the case of William Scott, a Vermont soldier sentenced to death for sleeping on guard duty, and for whom Lincoln interceded by issuing a pardon. The event became part of Lincoln lore as the story of ''The Sleeping Sentinel'', and Chittenden later published his account of the event.


Later life

When he resigned from the Lincoln administration, he returned to Vermont to regain his health, but by 1866 was living in
Tarrytown, New York Tarrytown is a village in the town of Greenburgh in Westchester County, New York. It is located on the eastern bank of the Hudson River, approximately north of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, and is served by a stop on the Metro-North ...
, and practicing law in New York City while spending summers in Burlington. He returned to Burlington permanently in 1894, and died at the home of his daughter on July 22, 1900. He was buried at
Lakeview Cemetery Lake View Cemetery is a Private property, privately owned, Nonprofit organization, nonprofit Rural cemetery, garden cemetery located in the cities of Cleveland, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, Cleveland Heights, and East Cleveland, Ohio, East Cleveland ...
in Burlington.


Family

Chittenden was married to Mary Hatch in 1856, and she died in 1894. They were the parents of three children: Horace H. became an attorney in New York City; Mary H. was the wife of William Bradford and a resident of Burlington; and Bessie B., the wife of Rev. Frederick Richards of New York City.


Writings

*"Address before the 34th Reunion of the
Reunion Society of Vermont Officers The Reunion Society of Vermont Officers was an organization of American Civil War veterans. Founding The Society was founded in 1864 by Union veterans from Vermont. Its original organizers included Redfield Proctor, George G. Benedict, and Whee ...
, November 5, 1897," at Bennington, Vermont. ''Proceedings of the Reunion Society of Vermont Officers Vol. II—1886-1905,'' Burlington, VT: Free Press Printing Company, 1906, pp. 222–237. *"New Moneys of Lincoln's Administration. Their Origins, Growth, and Value." ''Harpers New Monthly Magazine,'' 81:1890. *''An Unknown Heroine; an historical episode of the war between the states.'' New York: Richmond, Croscup & Co., 1894. *''Invisible Siege: The Journal of Lucius E. Chittenden April 15, 1861 – July 14, 1861.'' San Diego: Americana Exchange Press, 1969. *''Lincoln and the Sleeping Sentinel – The True Story.'' New York: Harper & Brothers, 1909. *''Personal reminiscences, 1840–1890, including some not hitherto published of Lincoln and the war.'' New York: Richmond, Croscup & Co., 1893. *''Recollections of President Lincoln and his Administration.'' New York: Harper and Brothers. 1891. *''The Capture of Ticonderoga.'' Rutland, VT: Tuttle & Co., 1872. *"The Character of the Early Settlers of Vermont Its Influence upon Posterity," delivered July 4, 1876, at Burlington, Vermont. Contained in ''Our National Centennial Jubilee: Orations, Addresses and Poems Delivered on the Fourth of July 1876.'' Ed. Frederick Saunders. (New York: E.B. Treat, 1877; reprint, St. Clair Shores, MI: Scholarly Press, 1976), pp. 499–521. *''The Law of Baron and Femme, of Parent and Child, Guardian and Ward . . . and of the Powers of the Courts of Chancery; With an Essay on the terms Heir, Heirs, and Heirs of the Body. Second Edition, with Notes,'' Burlington, VT: Chauncey Goodrich, 1846. *, 1864.


See also

* Vermont in the Civil War


References


External links

* Buechler, John, "Lucius E. Chittenden: Green Mountain Bibliophile," ''Vermont History,'' vol. 37, 1969, pp.  40–45. * Child, Hamilton, compiler,
Gazetteer and Business Directory of Chittenden County, Vt. For 1882–83
', Syracuse, NY: The Journal Office, 1882, pp. 50–67, sited August 13, 2006, a
Rootsweb
Internet. * Ullery, Jacob J.,
Men of Vermont: An Illustrated Biographical History of Vermonters and Sons of Vermont
', Brattleboro, Vt.: Transcript Publishing Co., 1894, Part III, p. 38. * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Chittenden, Lucius E. 1824 births 1900 deaths People from Williston, Vermont Vermont Free Soilers Vermont lawyers American bank presidents 19th-century American writers Republican Party Vermont state senators Presidents pro tempore of the Vermont Senate People of Vermont in the American Civil War Chittenden family Burials at Lakeview Cemetery (Burlington, Vermont) 19th-century American lawyers 19th-century American businesspeople