. Born in
Warrenton, Virginia, Chilton moved to
Missouri with his family as a child and attended private school there. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1826, commencing practice back in Warrenton. He got involved in politics and was elected a
Whig to the
United States House of Representatives in 1842 when he narrowly defeated
William "Extra Billy" Smith following a redistricting. Chilton served one term from 1843 to 1845, during which he advocated abolishing imprisonment for debt. Afterward, he returned to practicing law and was a delegate to the
Virginia Constitutional Convention from 1850 to 1851. At the convention he proposed a key compromise on legislative apportionment. Chilton moved to Washington, D.C., by 1853 and became a member of
American Party, or
Know-Nothings. Despite having owned slaves, in 1859 he was appointed as a defense attorney for
abolitionist John Brown after his previous defense attorneys advocated that the defendant advance a plea of insanity as his defense. Chilton died in Warrenton on January 14, 1867, and was interred there at
Warrenton Cemetery. ==Sources==