Bennington

GALUSHA, Jonas & Truman

Vermont Historical Magazine, No. XI, October 1867, p 234 (extracted from a 
section on the history of Shaftsbury, Bennington County)

Jonas GALUSHA was Captain of a militia company in Shaftsbury [Bennington 
County, Vermont] from 1777 to 1780, and was in the Bennington battle. He was 
Representative to the General Assembly in 1800; member of the State Council 
[1793 to 1798 inclusive, and 1801 to 1805 inclusive]; Sheriff of the County 
from 1781 to 1786; Judge of the County Court in 1795, 1796, 1797, and again 
in 1800 [to 1806 inclusive], and was elected Governor in 1809, 1810, 1811, 
1812, and again in 1815, 1816, 1817, 1818, 1819. Jonas GALUSHA possessed a 
mild, benevolent and philosophic turn of mind, and a comprehensive 
understanding. He was not a dealer in many words, gave his reasons with 
openness and candor, and always made them plain to the meanest capacity. 
Like Cincinnatus, he delighted to retire from the toils of war and labors of 
State, to return again to the comforts of society, and follow his plough.

[Jonas GALUSHA was born 11 February, 1753 in Norwich, New London County, 
Connecticut (one source, Appleton's Encyclopedia, has Norwalk in 
Fairfield County, but the others have Norwich), died 24 September, 1834 in 
Shaftsbury, Bennington County, Vermont, at the age of eighty-three, and is 
buried in Center Shaftsbury Cemetery, Shaftsbury. He removed to Shaftsbury 
in 1775, and led two companies in the battle of Bennington. Democrat. 
Besides filling many minor offices, he was councilor for thirteen years, 
judge of the Supreme Court for two years, and governor of the state from 1809 
until 1813, and again from 1815 till 1820; in 1808, 1820, and 1824 was a 
presidential elector; and was president of the constitutional conventions of 
1814 and 18'22. In his religious sentiments Jonas Galusha took an interest in 
the affairs of the Baptist Church, of which he was a member. Jonas GALUSHA 
was the son-in-law of Thomas CHITTENDEN (first governor of Vermont), and the 
brother-in-law of Martin CHITTENDEN. Capt. Elijah GALUSHA, brother of Jonas 
GALUSHA, also married a daughter of Thomas CHITTENDEN.]

[A daughter of Jonas GALUSHA, Nancy, was born 28 December 1784 in Royalton, 
Windsor County, Vermont, married Asa BILLINGS, and died 16 October 1848. A 
son of Jonas GALUSHA, Elon, was born in Shaftsbury, Bennington County, 
Vermont, and died in Lockport [Niagara County], New York, 13 June 1859. Elon 
GALUSHA was a Baptist widely-known Baptist clergyman, served as pastor of 
several churches in New York [Whitesboro and Utica, both in Oneida County; 
Rochester in Monroe County; and Lockport in Niagara County], and was at one 
time president of the Baptist missionary convention of New York. [According 
the source sited, Jonas GALUSHA had a son named Truman.]

From a section on the history of Jericho, Chittenden County to, Vermont 
Historical Magazine, No. XI, October 1867, p 833: "Truman GALUSHA, son of 
Gov. Jonas GALUSHA, and grandson of Gov. Thomas CHITTENDEN, was born in 1786 
at Shaftsbury [Bennington County, Vermont]; married [his first wife] Lydia 
LOOMIS [a maiden name?], of the same place [Shaftsbury], in 1809. In 1819 he 
[Truman GALUSHA] married [his second wife] Hannah, the only daughter of Hon. 
Noah CHITTENDEN [related to Thomas CHITTENDEN?], removed to Jericho 
[Chittenden County, Vermont] about 1824, and he [Truman GALUSHA] was, until 
his death in 1859, one of the most prominent citizens and the wealthiest man 
in town. He occupied the most responsible civil stations in town and county."

Submitted by Cathy Kubly