Page "Benjamin Huntington" Paragraph 2

Benjamin was born on April 19, 1736 at Norwich, Connecticut, the only child of Daniel Huntington and his second wife Rachel Wolcott.

He married Anne Huntington, of Windham, Connecticut, on May 5, 1765.

She died on October 6, 1790 at Norwich.

He graduated from Yale in 1761, and soon after, he entered upon the practice of law in his native town, and rose rapidly to the front rank of his profession.

He seems to have been unusually devoted to his profession, being at once a severe student, and an active and successful advocate and business man.

Though rather shunning than courting public life, he was not allowed to excuse himself from its claims ; nor, when called to meet them, did he shrink either from public duties or dangers.

In 1775 he was appointed, by the legislature of his native State, on the committee of safety, appointed to advise with the Governor of the State during the recess of the legislature.

Only the ablest men and truest patriots of that trying day, would have been put upon that important committee.

Again, in 1778, on the recommendation of George Washington, he was appointed by the legislature, one of the delegates to the convention to be held in New Haven, for the regulation of the army.

From 1780 to 1784, and again in 1787 and 1788, he was a member of the Continental Congress ; and when the new government went into operation, in 1789, he was chosen to represent Connecticut in the First Congress of the United States.