US Congressman. The son of a Baptist minister, he was educated in Paris, Kentucky, obtained his ordination, studied law, and became an attorney in Owingsville. Chilton served in the Kentucky House of Representatives from 1819 to 1821, afterwards relocating to Elizabethtown. In 1827, running as a Jacksonian, he appeared to lose a special election for the US House of Representatives to Adams candidate John Calhoon, but an irregularity in the voting led both candidates to petition for a new election, which Chilton won. He was reelected to a full term and served from December, 1827 to March, 1831. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1830, afterwards returning to his Elizabethtown law practice. He was a Presidential Elector in 1832, casting his ballot for Henry Clay. In 1832 he was also elected to the US House as an Anti-Jacksonian, serving one term, 1833 to 1835. He did not run for reelection in 1834 and moved to Talladega, Alabama, where he resumed the practice of law. In 1846 he became General Agent of the Alabama Baptist Convention, and he pastored churches throughout Kentucky and Alabama. In 1851 he moved to Houston, Texas, to become Pastor of a Baptist church, and he later became pastor of a church in Montgomery. Thomas Chilton was the father in law of Congressman Franklin W. Bowdon and the grandfather of Senator Horace Chilton. He was also the co-author of Davy Crockett's autobiography, "Narrative of the Life of David Crockett", which Crockett and Chilton wrote while serving in the US House in 1834.
US Congressman. The son of a Baptist minister, he was educated in Paris, Kentucky, obtained his ordination, studied law, and became an attorney in Owingsville. Chilton served in the Kentucky House of Representatives from 1819 to 1821, afterwards relocating to Elizabethtown. In 1827, running as a Jacksonian, he appeared to lose a special election for the US House of Representatives to Adams candidate John Calhoon, but an irregularity in the voting led both candidates to petition for a new election, which Chilton won. He was reelected to a full term and served from December, 1827 to March, 1831. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1830, afterwards returning to his Elizabethtown law practice. He was a Presidential Elector in 1832, casting his ballot for Henry Clay. In 1832 he was also elected to the US House as an Anti-Jacksonian, serving one term, 1833 to 1835. He did not run for reelection in 1834 and moved to Talladega, Alabama, where he resumed the practice of law. In 1846 he became General Agent of the Alabama Baptist Convention, and he pastored churches throughout Kentucky and Alabama. In 1851 he moved to Houston, Texas, to become Pastor of a Baptist church, and he later became pastor of a church in Montgomery. Thomas Chilton was the father in law of Congressman Franklin W. Bowdon and the grandfather of Senator Horace Chilton. He was also the co-author of Davy Crockett's autobiography, "Narrative of the Life of David Crockett", which Crockett and Chilton wrote while serving in the US House in 1834.
Bio by: Bill McKern
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