Christopher Grant Champlin (April 12, 1768March 18, 1840) was

United States Representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together the ...

Senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the e ...

and a slave trader from

Rhode Island Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area and the seventh-least populous, with slightly fewer than 1.1 million residents as of 2020, but i ...

Biography

He was born in

Newport Newport most commonly refers to: *Newport, Wales *Newport, Rhode Island, US Newport or New Port may also refer to: Places Asia *Newport City, Metro Manila, a Philippine district in Pasay Europe Ireland *Newport, County Mayo, a town on the ...

in the

Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations The Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations was one of the original Thirteen Colonies established on the east coast of America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean. It was founded by Roger Williams. It was an English colony from 1636 until 1 ...

, the oldest child and only son of the merchant ship owner and Newport slave trader Christopher Champlin (b. 1731). His uncle George Champlin was a member of the Rhode Island Legislature and also funded slave voyages to Africa; his niece, Elizabeth Mason (daughter of his sister of the same name), married Commodore

Oliver Hazard Perry Oliver Hazard Perry (August 23, 1785 – August 23, 1819) was an American naval commander, born in South Kingstown, Rhode Island. The best-known and most prominent member of the Perry family naval dynasty, he was the son of Sarah Wallace A ...

. His great nephew was architect

George Champlin Mason Sr. George Champlin Mason Sr. (1820-1894) was an American architect who built a number of mansions in Newport, Rhode Island, during the Gilded Age. He helped to found the Newport Historical Society as well. Early life and education George Champlin ...

(1820-1894). After completing preparatory studies, Champlin entered

Harvard College Harvard College is the undergraduate college of Harvard University, an Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636, Harvard College is the original school of Harvard University, the oldest institution of higher ...

, from which he graduated in 1786, then going on to continue his studies at the

College of St. Omer A college (Latin: ''collegium'') is an educational institution or a constituent part of one. A college may be a degree-awarding tertiary educational institution, a part of a collegiate or federal university, an institution offering v ...

in France. On his return, he settled in New York, where he lost a fortune speculating in the stock market with his fathers' proceeds from mercantile business and slave trading.Christopher Champlin Papers
In Collections of the Rhode Island Historical Society, Providence, Rhode Island. He returned to Newport, was an investor with his father and uncle in at least one slave voyage (the Brig Elizabeth), and married Martha Redwood Ellery (b. 1772), in 1793. They had one child, a son who died young. For several years after his marriage, Champlin worked as an assistant to his father in the shipping business. In 1796, Champlin decided to run for Congress. To strengthen his chances, he swore that he had not speculated in southern real estate and that he would not use a congressional position to further his own investments. However, it was later revealed that he had lied about his southern land interests, as he had speculated heavily in the Tennessee Company with a college friend. In any case, Champlin was elected as a

Federalist The term ''federalist'' describes several political beliefs around the world. It may also refer to the concept of parties, whose members or supporters called themselves ''Federalists''. History Europe federation In Europe, proponents of de ...

to the Fifth and Sixth Congresses (March 4, 1797 – March 3, 1801). During this period, he took part in a duel with a Delaware congressman, James A. Bayard. He continued to engage in mercantile pursuits, and was later elected to the U.S. Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of

Francis Malbone Francis Malbone Jr. (March 20, 1759June 4, 1809) was an American merchant from Newport, Rhode Island. His father, Francis Sr., and his uncle, Evan, were active in the slave trade in Rhode Island. He held the rank of captain in the Rhode Island ...

and served from June 26, 1809 until October 2, 1811, when he resigned and returned to Rhode Island. Champlin was elected a member of the

American Antiquarian Society The American Antiquarian Society (AAS), located in Worcester, Massachusetts, is both a learned society and a national research library of pre-twentieth-century American history and culture. Founded in 1812, it is the oldest historical society in ...

in 1814. Champlin served as commanding officer (with rank of colonel) of the

Newport Artillery Company The Newport Artillery Company of Newport, Rhode Island was chartered in 1741 by the Rhode Island General Assembly during the reign of King George II of Great Britain. It is the oldest military unit in the United States operating under its origina ...

from 1815 to 1818. He commanded the company when it responded to the

1815 New England hurricane The Great September Gale of 1815 (the word " hurricane" was not yet current in American English) is one of five "major hurricanes" (Category 3 on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane scale) to strike New England since 1635. At the time it struck, ...

, also known as the Great Gale of 1815. As a measure of their gratitude, the Newport town council made the following resolution: ''"Voted and resolved that the thanks of the town Council be presented to Colonel C. G. Champlin and the officers and privates of the Artillery Company of the town of Newport under his command for the prompt attention they paid to the request of said town council to turn out and guard the property of the unfortunate sufferers in the late destructive storm, and for their good conduct while on duty."'' He attended Newport's Congregationalist Church. Champlin was president of the Rhode Island Bank until a short time before his death in Newport in 1840; interment was in

Common Burial Ground The Common Burying Ground and Island Cemetery are a pair of separate cemeteries on Farewell and Warner Street in Newport, Rhode Island. Together they contain over 5,000 graves, including a colonial-era slave cemetery and Jewish graves. The pair o ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Champlin, Christopher G. 1768 births 1840 deaths United States senators from Rhode Island Harvard College alumni Federalist Party United States senators Burials in Rhode Island Federalist Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Rhode Island Members of the American Antiquarian Society Burials at Common Burying Ground and Island Cemetery