Justice Theophilus Harrington
A gruff, rough-around-the-edges member of Vermont's Supreme Court made a lasting impression on the global abolitionist movement after a court case in which a slave owner came to Vermont to try and recover an enslaved person who had escaped from New York. Vermont's constitution explicitly banned adult slavery, and Justice Theophilus Harrington was reported to have said during the case that a bill of sale wasn't enough proof of ownership, only a bill of sale from "signed by God Almighty Himself" would be sufficient.
Vermont Historical Society Executive Director Steve Perkins and ABC 22 & Fox 44 Anchor Mike Hoey head over to Clarendon to learn more about Harrington and his legacy.
- Read Racism in Antebellum Vermont in Vermont History
- Read What He Said via the Clarendon Historical Society
This Place in History is produced in partnership by Local 22 & Local 44 (www.mychamplainvalley.com) and the Vermont Historical Society.
