Samuel Mattocks (December 30, 1739 – January 18, 1804) was a

Connecticut Connecticut ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. ...

and

Vermont Vermont () is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, New York (state), New York to the west, and the Provinces and territories of Ca ...

Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies representing the Thirteen Colonies and later the United States during the American Revolutionary War. It was formed on June 14, 1775, by a resolution passed by the Second Continental Co ...

officer and political figure who served as

Vermont State Treasurer The State Treasurer's Office is responsible for several administrative and service duties, in accordance with Vermont Statutes. These include: investing state funds; issuing state bonds; serving as the central bank for state agencies; managing th ...

during the state's early years.

Early life

Samuel Mattocks was born in

Middletown, Connecticut Middletown is a city in Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States. Located along the Connecticut River, in the central part of the state, 16 miles (25.749504 km) south of Hartford, Connecticut, Hartford. Middletown is the largest city in the L ...

on December 30, 1739. He was living in

Hartford Hartford is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The city, located in Hartford County, Connecticut, Hartford County, had a population of 121,054 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 ce ...

and owned a wig-making shop when he joined the Army for the American Revolution.

American Revolution

He was a member of the 8th Connecticut Regiment, commanding a

company A company, abbreviated as co., is a Legal personality, legal entity representing an association of legal people, whether Natural person, natural, Juridical person, juridical or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members ...

with the rank of

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

. The regiment took part in action throughout New York,

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

and

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

, and Mattocks served until resigning in 1780, when he moved to Tinmouth, Vermont.

Life in Vermont

Mattocks farmed and also became active in politics and government. He served in the

Vermont House of Representatives The Vermont House of Representatives is the lower house of the Vermont General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Vermont. The House comprises 150 members, with each member representing around 4,100 citizens. Representatives a ...

from 1781 to 1784, and was a member of the Governor's Council in 1785. He was Assistant Judge of Rutland County from 1783 to 1788, Chief Judge from 1788 to 1793, and Assistant Judge again in 1794. From 1786 to 1800 Mattocks was Vermont's

State Treasurer In the state and territorial governments of the United States, 54 of the 56 states and territories have the executive position of treasurer. New York abolished the office of New York State Treasurer in 1926, in which the duties were transfer ...

, and in 1792 he was a member of the Council of Censors. His term as Treasurer bridged the period from the founding of the

Vermont Republic The Vermont Republic, officially known at the time as the State of Vermont, was an independent state in New England that existed from January 15, 1777, to March 4, 1791. The state was founded in January 1777, when delegates from 28 towns met ...

until Vermont achieved statehood in 1791.

Death and burial

Mattocks moved to Middlebury in 1797, and resided there until his death. He died on January 18, 1804, and was buried in Middlebury's Washington Street Cemetery.

Family

Samuel Mattocks married Sarah Birdwell (or Burdell) on March 14, 1763. Their children included: Samuel Mattocks Jr. (1764-1823), who was an innkeeper in Middlebury and served in local office; Sarah (1767–1778); Rebecca (1768–1841), the wife of Samuel Miller of Middlebury; Mary (1770–1777); and John (1777–1847). John Mattocks served in the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...

and was

Governor of Vermont The governor of Vermont is the head of government of the U.S. state of Vermont. The officeholder is elected in even-numbered years by direct voting for a term of two years. Vermont and bordering New Hampshire are the only states to hold guberna ...

from 1843 to 1844.Prentiss Cutler Dodge
Encyclopedia of Vermont Biography
1912, page 35

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mattocks, Samuel 1739 births 1804 deaths Politicians from Middletown, Connecticut Politicians from Hartford, Connecticut People from Tinmouth, Vermont Politicians from Middlebury, Vermont Continental Army officers from Connecticut Vermont state court judges Members of the Vermont House of Representatives People from pre-statehood Vermont State treasurers of Vermont Military personnel from Hartford, Connecticut