David Fay (December 13, 1761 – June 5, 1827) was a Vermont judge and militia officer who served on the Vermont Supreme Court and as Adjutant General of the Vermont Militia.
David Fay | |
---|---|
Member of the Vermont Governor's Council | |
In office 1817–1821 | |
Preceded by | Josiah Wright |
Succeeded by | Josiah Pratt |
Associate Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court | |
In office 1809–1813 Serving with Theophilus Harrington, Royall Tyler | |
Preceded by | Jonas Galusha |
Succeeded by | Nathaniel Chipman, Daniel Farrand, Jonathan Hatch Hubbard |
United States Attorney for Vermont | |
In office 1801–1809 | |
Preceded by | Charles Marsh |
Succeeded by | Cornelius P. Van Ness |
State's Attorney of Bennington County, Vermont | |
In office 1800–1801 | |
Preceded by | Truman Squier |
Succeeded by | Richard Skinner |
In office 1795–1798 | |
Preceded by | Joshua Hathaway |
Succeeded by | Truman Squier |
Personal details | |
Born | Hardwick, Massachusetts | December 13, 1761
Died | June 5, 1827 Bennington, Vermont | (aged 65)
Resting place | Old Bennington Cemetery, Bennington, Vermont |
Political party | Democratic-Republican |
Spouse | Mary (Staniford) Fay (m. 1801) |
Relations | Joseph Fay (brother) |
Profession | Attorney |
Military service | |
Allegiance | United States Vermont |
Service | Vermont Militia |
Years of service | 1777–1822 |
Rank | Major General |
Commands | Adjutant General of the Vermont Militia |
Wars | American Revolutionary War War of 1812 |
David Fay was born in Hardwick, Massachusetts, on December 13, 1761.[1] His father Stephen Fay, owner of Bennington's Catamount Tavern and one of the founders of Vermont, relocated the family to Bennington in 1766.[2] David Fay served in the Vermont Militia as a fifer during the American Revolution, and took part in the Battle of Bennington as a member of Captain Samuel Robinson's Company.[3][4] His brother Joseph Fay also served in the Green Mountain Boys and took part in the Battle of Bennington, and later served as Secretary of State of Vermont.[5] His brother Jonas Fay was also a member of the Green Mountain Boys, and served in several government positions during Vermont's early years, including Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court.[6]
Fay was a farmer and surveyor.[7] He later studied law, and attained admission to the bar in 1794.[8]
A Democratic-Republican, he served as Bennington County State's attorney from 1795 to 1798, and again from 1800 to 1801.[9] and was a member of the state Council of Censors in 1799 and 1806.[10] From 1801 to 1809 Fay served as United States Attorney for Vermont.[11]
In 1809 Fay was appointed to the Vermont Supreme Court, and he served until 1813.[12]
From 1817 to 1821 he was a member of the Vermont Governor's Council,[13] and he served as Bennington County's Judge of Probate from 1819 to 1820.[14]
Following the Revolution, Fay continued his service in the militia. He attained the rank of major in the early 1790s[15] and was a colonel by the late 1790s.[16] In 1795 he was appointed Adjutant General of the Vermont Militia with the rank of major general. He held this position until 1822.[17]
During the War of 1812 Fay coordinated the activities of the Vermont Militia, including units dispatched to provide security on the Vermont-Canada border and units which took part in the defense of Plattsburgh.[18][19]
Fay died in Bennington on June 5, 1827, and was buried in the Old Bennington Cemetery.[20][21]