Perhaps the most Whiggish of all Whig historians was Timothy Pitkin, born in Farmington, Connecticut, 21 January 1766, the son of the Reverend Timothy and Temperance Clap Pitkin. Upon graduation from Yale in 1785 (also LL.D., 1829), Pitkin taught Latin and Greek for one year at Plainfield Academy, studied theology with his father and law with Oliver Ellsworth of Windsor, was admitted to the Hartford County bar in 1788, and practiced law in Hartford and Farmington. On 6 June 1801, he married Elizabeth Hubbard of Hartford. There were six children from this marriage.

Pitkin's political career began with his representing Farmington in the Lower House of the General Assembly from 1790 to 1805, during which time he was speaker of the House for five consecutive sessions. Elected to the Congress of the United States on the Federalist ticket, he served in the House of Representatives from 1805 until 1819. In 1818 he represented Farmington at the state constitutional convention...