Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition/Trumbull/Trumbull, Jonathan(1.)

4. Jonathan Trumbull was born at Lebanon, Connecticut, on 10th June 1710, and died at the same place on 17th August 1785. He graduated at Harvard in 1727, and became a lawyer and colonial politician. His place in American history was gained as governor of Connecticut from 1769 until 1783, through the whole period of the American Revolution. He was a trusted supporter and confidential adviser of Washington, who was accustomed to speak of him as "brother Jonathan," and the term has since passed into popular use as equivalent to the people of the United States.