▁until ▁ 1 7 8 0 . ▁ ▁Following ▁his ▁military ▁service , ▁Wood bridge ▁studied ▁law , ▁att ained ▁ad mission ▁to ▁the ▁bar , ▁and ▁began ▁to ▁practice ▁in ▁P own al . ▁ ▁He ▁subsequently ▁re located ▁to ▁Manchester , ▁and ▁then ▁Ver gen nes , ▁where ▁he ▁became ▁a ▁permanent ▁resident . ▁ ▁While ▁res iding ▁in ▁Manchester , ▁Wood bridge ▁served ▁in ▁local ▁offices ▁including ▁l ister ▁and ▁town ▁meeting ▁moder ator , ▁in ▁addition ▁to ▁terms ▁as ▁State ' s ▁Att orney ▁for ▁Ben ning ton ▁County , ▁and ▁Judge ▁of ▁Pro b ate ▁for ▁the ▁county ' s ▁Manchester ▁District . ▁ ▁After ▁moving ▁to ▁Ver gen nes , ▁Wood bridge ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁Verm ont ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives ▁in ▁ 1 7 9 1 ▁and ▁ 1 7 9 3 , ▁and ▁was ▁a ▁delegate ▁to ▁Verm ont ' s ▁ 1 7 9 3 ▁constitution al ▁convention . ▁ ▁When ▁Ver gen nes ▁was ▁incorpor ated ▁as ▁a ▁city ▁in ▁ 1 7 9 4 , ▁Wood bridge ▁was ▁elected ▁mayor , ▁and ▁served ▁a ▁one - year ▁term . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 7 9 4 , ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁to ▁the ▁Verm ont ▁Supreme ▁Court ; ▁he ▁served ▁until ▁ 1 8 0 0 , ▁and ▁was ▁the ▁court ' s ▁Chief ▁Justice ▁from ▁ 1 7 9 8 ▁to ▁ 1 8 0 0 . ▁ ▁Wood bridge ▁res umed ▁pract icing ▁law ▁in ▁Ver gen nes ▁after ▁his ▁ret irement