As the colonies in America had growing intolerance for the taxes and treatment from their mother country of Great Britain, there was a man by the name of Jonathan Trumbull who was willing to sacrifice nearly everything in support of the rights of the people. Trumbull was already serving in political office before full hostilities towards the British began - he was the Governor of the Colony of Connecticut. As such, he would be the only sitting governor to join the patriots when the Revolutionary War began. Trumbull would become a good friend to George Washington, he would continue as Governor of Connecticut after the war, and his strong faith can be seen reverberating throughout his life. His legacy is evident in the generational impact of his sons.
Trumbull originally planned to become a minister. He was attending Yale before the death of his brother had him take over the family’s business and eventually led to politics. He fully invested in the rebel cause, supplying over half of the men, clothing, food, and munitions to the Continental Army. The building that held his mercantile business was used as a War Office. Due to his extensive support during the revolution, Trumbull was owed money that would never materialize during his life and he would die at home, practically bankrupt, in 1785.
It has been well-documented that the
Christian faith of the Founding Fathers had a profound influence on their
actions while rebelling from Great Britain – and afterwards, while forming the
government. This would continue on during the early years of the experiment
that was the creation of the United States. These men were typically involved
with their local church, studied the Bible at home, quoted scriptures in their correspondence,
and made a point to include prayer in the public sphere. Preachers from that
time often used their place in the pulpit to encourage the cause and advocate
for moral and godly behavior. Trumbull (though not a founding father) was
respected in his role and position, but it is evident that his personal
Christian faith was a defining piece of his life.
Looking at a letter from Trumbull to
George Washington after he was appointed to lead the Continental Army in 1775,
anyone familiar with the Old Testament will see the direct link in what was
written:
“Now therefore
be strong and very courageous, may the God of the Armies of Israel, shower down
the blessings of His Divine Providence on You, give you Wisdom and Fortitude,
cover your Head in the Day of Battle and Danger, add Success—convince our
Enemies of their mistaken measures—and that all their attempts to deprive these
Colonies of their inestimable constitutional Rights and Liberties are injurious
and Vain.”
This reads as a prayer over General
Washington. Later, when Washington was President, residing in Philadelphia, Jonathan
Trumbull was the only exception for no visitors on Sunday. After news of
Trumbull’s death reached him, George Washington penned a letter of
sympathy to Trumbull’s son in which he refers to Governor Trumbull as “the
first of Patriots.”
Continuing with his father’s legacy, Trumbull’s son, Jonathan Trumbull, Jr. was serving as the Governor of Connecticut in 1808. He would be present for a key sermon given to government leaders of that state by Nathan Perkins. In this sermon, Perkins advocated that for a nation to be prosperous and happy, the people must listen “to the voice of the Lord our God” and observe His commands. He spoke that “civil rulers” could best secure the prosperity of their people (their happiness) by emphasizing “piety and morality,” which comes from religion; their Christian faith. The summary of his stance was that people with morals are essential to a prosperous nation, but these morals are obtained through religious practices and the discipline of keeping religious principles. If religion declines in a nation, so do morals, and the prosperity of a nation will fail.
It is likely that Trumbull, Jr. accepted
these words and reflected on his actions as well as those of his father. Connecticut
was still strongly Congregationalist at this time, but there was religious
freedom for anyone professing Christianity (Connecticut would use the Royal
Charter of 1662 until it was replaced by a new state constitution in 1818). Trumbull,
Jr. kept strong conservative policies while in government leadership and held
personal views similar to those preached by Perkins. However, he did not have
long to continue their implementation since he died in office 15 months later
in 1809.
Sources
Connecticut
Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. “Jonathan Trumbull, Jr.”
Accessed February 1, 2025. https://www.sarconnecticut.org/jonathan-trumbull-jr/
Custis, George
Washington Parke, et al. Recollections and private memoirs of Washington.
Derby & Jackson, 1860, [c1859]. Sabin Americana: History of the
Americas, 1500-1926, link.gale.com/apps/doc/CY0107927353/SABN?u=vic_liberty&sid=bookmark-SABN&xid=5f55150f&pg=513.
Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.
“From George
Washington to Jonathan Trumbull, Jr., 1 October 1785,” Founders
Online, National Archives,
https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/04-03-02-0257. [Original
source: The Papers of George Washington, Confederation Series, vol.
3, 19 May 1785 – 31 March 1786, ed. W. W. Abbot. Charlottesville:
University Press of Virginia, 1994, pp. 289–290.]
Governor Trumbull
House & Wadsworth Stable. “Governor Jonathan Trumbull (1710-1785). Accessed
January 29, 2025. https://www.govtrumbullhousedar.org/gov-john-trumbull/
Granger, Bruce
Ingham. “John Trumbull and Religion.” American Literature 23, no. 1
(1951): 57–79. https://doi.org/10.2307/2921432.
Museum of
Connecticut History. “Jonathan Trumbull.” Accessed January 28, 2025. https://museumofcthistory.org/2015/08/jonathan-trumbull/
Perkins, Nathan. The
benign influence of religion on civil government and national happiness :
illustrated in a sermon, preached before His Excellency Jonathan Trumbull, Esq.
governor; His Honor John Treadwell, Esq. lieutenant governor, the Honorable the
Council, and House of Representatives of the state of Connecticut : on the
anniversary election, May 12th, 1808. Hartford [Conn.]: Printed by Hudson
and Goodwin, 1808. Sabin Americana: History of the Americas, 1500-1926
(accessed January 29, 2025). https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CY0101830784/SABN?u=vic_liberty&sid=bookmark-SABN&xid=9e2335af&pg=1.
Rose, Gary L.,
"Introduction, The Constitution of the State of Connecticut" (2011).
Political Science & Global Affairs Faculty Publications. 2. https://digitalcommons.sacredheart.edu/gov_fac/2
“To George
Washington from Jonathan Trumbull, Sr., 13 July 1775,” Founders
Online, National Archives,
https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-01-02-0062. [Original
source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series,
vol. 1, 16 June 1775 – 15 September 1775, ed. Philander D. Chase.
Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1985, pp. 112–113.]
Trumbull Clan
Association. “Jonathan Trumbull, Sr. (Governor).” Accessed January 28, 2025. https://www.turnbullclan.com/index.php/resources/vm/vmpeople?view=article&id=324:jonathan-trumbull-sr-governor&catid=159
