Charles K. Williams | |
|---|---|
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| 20th Governor of Vermont | |
| In office October 11, 1850 – October 1, 1852 | |
| Lieutenant | Robert Pierpoint |
| Preceded by | Carlos Coolidge |
| Succeeded by | Erastus Fairbanks |
| Chief Justice of theVermont Supreme Court | |
| In office 1833–1845 | |
| Preceded by | Titus Hutchinson |
| Succeeded by | Stephen Royce |
| United States Collector of Customs for the District of Vermont | |
| In office 1826–1829 | |
| Preceded by | James Fisk |
| Succeeded by | Archibald W. Hyde |
| Associate Justice of theVermont Supreme Court | |
| In office 1822–1824 | |
| Preceded by | William Brayton |
| Succeeded by | Asa Aikens |
| State's Attorney ofRutland County, Vermont | |
| In office 1814–1815 | |
| Preceded by | Rollin Carolas Mallary |
| Succeeded by | Rollin Carolas Mallary |
| Member of theVermont House of Representatives fromRutland Town, Vermont | |
| In office 1820–1822 | |
| Preceded by | Robert Pierpoint |
| Succeeded by | Edmund Douglass |
| In office 1814–1816 | |
| Preceded by | James D. Butler |
| Succeeded by | William Denison |
| In office 1811–1812 | |
| Preceded by | Chauncey Thrall |
| Succeeded by | James D. Butler |
| In office 1809–1810 | |
| Preceded by | Ezekiel Porter |
| Succeeded by | Chauncey Thrall |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1782-01-24)January 24, 1782 |
| Died | March 9, 1853(1853-03-09) (aged 71) |
| Party | Whig |
| Other political affiliations | Liberty |
| Spouse | Lucy Langdon |
| Children | 9 |
| Education | Williams College |
| Profession | Lawyer |
| Signature | .png) |
Charles Kilbourne Williams (January 24, 1782 – March 9, 1853) was an American lawyer and politician. He served asChief Justice of theVermont Supreme Court from 1834 to 1846 and as 20thgovernor of Vermont from 1850 to 1852.
Williams was born inCambridge, Massachusetts, Middlesex County toSamuel Williams and Jane Kilbourne Williams. He moved with his family toRutland, Vermont in 1790. He graduated fromWilliams College in 1800. In 1834, he received thehonorary degree ofLL.D. fromMiddlebury.[1]
Williams was elected to theVermont House of Representatives and served from 1809 to 1810, 1811 to 1812, 1814 to 1816, and 1820 to 1822. He served in theVermont Militia as a major during theWar of 1812. He was promoted to the rank ofbrigadier general and became commander of a division. He was again elected to theVermont House of Representatives and served from 1814 to 1815, 1820 to 1821 and in 1849.[2]
He served as Rutland County State's Attorney from 1814 to 1815,[3] and as a justice of the Vermont Supreme Court from 1822 to 1823, succeedingWilliam Brayton.[4] He was Vermont's US Collector of Customs from 1826 to 1829. In 1827 he was State Commissioner for common schools. He served as chief justice of the Vermont Supreme Court from 1834 to 1845.[5] Williams was the author of a precedent setting opinion on the unconstitutionality of legislative acts passed to nullify judicial decisions.
Williams ran unsuccessfully for Governor of Vermont in 1842 as anabolitionist candidate. He served as President of the Council of Censors in 1848. Elected as aWhig, Williams served asGovernor of Vermont from 1850 to 1852.[6] While in office, theHabeas Corpus Act was passed, showing the strong anti-slavery sentiments in Vermont. He was reelected in 1851 and did not seek reelection to a third one-year term in 1853.
He served as a Trustee ofMiddlebury College[7] and as President of theWilliams College Alumni Association.
Williams married Lucy Green Langdon, and they had nine children together.
Williams was the son in law of CongressmanChauncey Langdon.[8]
Williams died in Rutland on March 9, 1853, and is interred atEvergreen Cemetery inRutland, Vermont.[9]
| Party political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Liberty nominee forGovernor of Vermont 1842,1843 | Succeeded by William R. Shafter |
| Preceded by | Whig nominee forGovernor of Vermont 1850,1851 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Governor of Vermont 1850–1852 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
