Malcolm Rivera
Oliver Wolcott, born on November 20, 1726, in Windsor, Connecticut, was an American Founding Father and politician. He was a soldier, merchant, and politician who played a significant role in both the political and military landscapes of the emerging American nation. While he was a signer of the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation, there is no clear evidence of him signing the United States Constitution. However, he was a member of the Connecticut State Convention, which voted for the ratification of the Constitution in 1787.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Oliver Wolcott |
| Born | 20 November 1726 |
| Birthplace | Windsor, Connecticut |
| Parents | Roger Wolcott and Sarah Drake |
| Education | Yale College |
| Year of Graduation | 1747 |
| Military Service | Captain in the Connecticut Militia |
| Political Career | Governor of Connecticut, Judge of the Litchfield Probate and County Courts, Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut, Commissioner of Indian Affairs, Member of Continental Congress, Judge of the Connecticut Supreme Court of Errors |
| Signed | Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, Second Treaty of Fort Stanwix |
| Death | 1 December 1797 |
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What You'll Learn
Oliver Wolcott's life and career
Oliver Wolcott, born on November 20, 1726, in Windsor, Connecticut, was an American Founding Father, politician, and soldier. He was the youngest of ten children born to colonial Governor Roger Wolcott and Sarah Drake Wolcott. Wolcott attended Yale College, graduating in 1747 as the top scholar in his class. Upon graduation, he received a captain's commission from New York Governor George Clinton to raise a militia company to fight in the French and Indian Wars (King George's War of 1744–1748).
Wolcott served on the northern frontier, defending the Canadian border against the French until the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle of 1748. He then moved to Goshen, Connecticut, to practice and study medicine with his brother, Alexander. In 1751, he was appointed sheriff of the newly created Litchfield County, Connecticut, serving until 1771. During this time, he also established a successful mercantile business. In 1755, he married Lorraine (Laura) Collins of Guilford, Connecticut, and the couple had five children.
In 1774, the Continental Congress appointed Wolcott as a Commissioner of Indian Affairs, and he was elected to the Congress in 1775. Despite suffering from a serious illness in 1776, he signed the United States Declaration of Independence, although he did so at a later date as he was not present for the official signing ceremony. During the Revolutionary War, Wolcott served as a Brigadier General and then as a Major General in the Connecticut militia under George Washington. He led Connecticut volunteers in the successful campaign against General John Burgoyne and later commanded Continental troops during the British invasion of Connecticut in 1779.
After the war, Wolcott continued his political career, serving as Connecticut's lieutenant governor from 1786 or 1787 until 1796. He also served as a judge of the Connecticut Supreme Court of Errors during this period. In 1796, he became the nineteenth governor of Connecticut, holding the office until his death on December 1, 1797, in Litchfield, Connecticut, at the age of 71. Wolcott also served as a member of the Connecticut convention that ratified the new federal Constitution.
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The Declaration of Independence
Oliver Wolcott, born on November 20, 1726, in Windsor, Connecticut, was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. He was a public official, soldier, politician, and merchant. Wolcott attended Yale College, graduating in 1747 as the top scholar in his class. Upon graduation, he received a captain's commission from New York Governor George Clinton to raise a militia company for the French and Indian Wars. After the war, he returned to Connecticut to practice medicine with his brother, Alexander, in Goshen, and later moved to Litchfield, where he became a merchant.
Wolcott was a prominent figure in the Revolutionary War, serving as a brigadier general and then major general in the Connecticut militia under George Washington. He was also one of Connecticut's principal delegates to the Continental Congress. Notably, he signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776, although he was not present at the initial adoption of the document due to illness and his military duties in New York. He later returned to Congress and signed the Articles of Confederation in 1778.
Wolcott's political career continued after the war. He served as a judge of the Litchfield Probate and County Courts and was elected Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut in 1786, a position he held until he became governor in 1796. He also served as a member of the Connecticut convention that ratified the new federal Constitution. Additionally, he played a role in negotiating treaties with the Iroquois, including the Second Treaty of Fort Stanwix in 1784.
Oliver Wolcott's contributions to the founding of the nation are commemorated in various ways. There is a memorial plaque on Signers' Walk, and he is also remembered through the Oliver Wolcott House in Litchfield, Connecticut, built in 1753, which pays tribute to the Signers of the Declaration of Independence.
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Wolcott's military career
Oliver Wolcott, born on November 20, 1726, in Windsor, Connecticut, was an American Founding Father, politician and soldier. He was a graduate of Yale College, where he excelled as a student and was commissioned as a captain by Governor George Clinton of New York to raise a militia company to fight in the French and Indian Wars (1744-1748).
After graduating from Yale, Wolcott served as a captain in the French and Indian Wars, defending the Canadian border against the French and their Native American allies until the war ended with the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1748. He then returned to Connecticut and studied medicine with his brother, Alexander, in Goshen. However, he soon moved to Litchfield and pursued a career as a merchant. In 1751, he was appointed sheriff of Litchfield County, Connecticut, a position he held until 1771.
In 1774, as revolutionary tensions escalated, Wolcott was appointed a major in the Thirteenth Militia Regiment and, later, a colonel in the Seventh Regiment. During the American Revolution, he played a crucial role in defending New York City in August 1776, commanding fourteen regiments of Connecticut militiamen. The following year, he organised Connecticut volunteers and participated in the successful campaign against General John Burgoyne. In 1778, he was elected to Congress in York, Pennsylvania, but his time was divided between civil and military affairs.
Wolcott was promoted to brigadier general and later to major general of the Connecticut militia, serving under George Washington during the Revolutionary War. In 1779, he commanded Continental troops during the British invasion of Connecticut and successfully defended the southwestern coast against raids. After the war, he continued to serve in various political and military roles, including negotiating treaties with Native American tribes and serving as a judge and lieutenant governor of Connecticut.
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Wolcott's political career
Oliver Wolcott, born on November 20, 1726, in Windsor, Connecticut, was an American Founding Father and politician. He was the son of Roger Wolcott, the colonial governor of Connecticut, and Sarah Drake Wolcott. Wolcott attended Yale College, graduating in 1747 as the top scholar in his class. Upon graduation, he received a captain's commission from New York Governor George Clinton to raise a militia company to fight in the French and Indian Wars. After the war, Wolcott served as a merchant and was appointed sheriff of Litchfield County, Connecticut, serving from 1751 to 1771.
In 1774, Wolcott was appointed a Commissioner of Indian Affairs by the Continental Congress, and in 1775, he was elected to the Congress. Despite his initial inactivity in Congress due to his focus on military affairs, Wolcott played a significant role in the American Revolutionary War. He served as a brigadier general and then as a major general in the Connecticut militia, defending New York City and successfully campaigning against General John Burgoyne. In 1776, he experienced a brief illness and was absent during the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. However, he later signed the Declaration, becoming one of the Founding Fathers of the United States.
Wolcott's contributions extended beyond his political career. He was an ardent proponent of independence and played a crucial role in military affairs, earning him recognition as a sought-after leader in the inexperienced American military. Additionally, he was elected president of the Connecticut Society of Arts and Sciences, reflecting his diverse interests and contributions to the state.
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Oliver Wolcott Sr. was an American Founding Father and politician. He was a representative of Connecticut and a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Oliver Wolcott did not sign the US Constitution. However, he was a member of the Connecticut State Convention, which voted for the ratification of the Constitution in 1787.
Oliver Wolcott signed the Declaration of Independence, although he did so at a later date due to illness and military duties. He also signed the Articles of Confederation in 1778.
Oliver Wolcott was an American Founding Father, public official, soldier, politician, and merchant. He was born in 1726 in Connecticut and graduated from Yale College in 1747. He served in the French and Indian War and later became a merchant and sheriff. He was elected Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut in 1786 and became Governor in 1796. He died in 1797.
Oliver Wolcott was a prominent figure in the Revolutionary War. He served as a brigadier general and then major general in the Connecticut militia. He also helped negotiate the Second Treaty of Fort Stanwix with the Iroquois in 1784.
