Elijah Boardman

Elijah Boardman was a senator from Connecticut. Born to a noted and politically connected Connecticut family, he served in the United States Army before becoming a noted merchant and businessman. Becoming involved in property and land ownership in Connecticut and Ohio, he founded the towns of Boardman and Medina in Ohio. His involvement in politics also increased, and he gradually rose through the ranks of the local, and then national government, being elected by the Connecticut legislature to the United States Senate. He served as Senator from Connecticut until his death in Ohio. Elijah Boardman was the largest slave-owner in his hometown of New Milford in 1780. According to the US Census of 1780, he owned six slaves.