Nisha Rathode (Editor)

Thomas W Bennett (territorial governor)

Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit
Preceded by
  
John Hailey

Name
  
Thomas Bennett

Resigned
  
June 23, 1876

Profession
  
Attorney

Residence
  
Richmond, Indiana

Party
  
Republican Party

Preceded by
  
Thomas M. Bowen

Role
  
Territorial governor


Thomas W. Bennett (territorial governor)

Political party
  
Republican, Independent (after 1874)

Died
  
February 2, 1893, Richmond, Indiana, United States

Succeeded by
  
Stephen Southmyd Fenn

Thomas Warren Bennett (February 16, 1831 in Union County, Indiana – February 2, 1893) was governor of Idaho Territory from 1871 to 1875. He also served as a Congressional delegate from the territory from March 4, 1875 to June 23, 1876. He also served in the Indiana State Senate.

Contents

Biography

Bennett was born in Union County, Indiana. He left his father's farm in 1850 to attend Indiana Asbury University (now DePauw University) where he received his law degree in 1855.

Career

Bennett returned to Liberty and practiced there until the Civil War. He raised a company of volunteers and was commissioned captain, and attained the rank of colonel and was brevetted brigadier general. A year after his move to Richmond, Indiana, he was elected mayor and served for two years.

Bennett, a Civil War veteran and local politician in his native Indiana, was the fifth choice of President Ulysses S. Grant to succeed David W. Ballard as Idaho Territory governor. Grant's first two nominees accepted the appointment, but then each quickly decided to instead accept other government appointments before they ever travelled to Idaho. A third choice declined the offer entirely, while the fourth, Thomas M. Bowen, disliked the Idaho landscape so intensely that he resigned from the governorship and returned east after only one week in office. As a result, fifth choice Bennett took office several months after Ballard's term expired; all told, the territory had been effectively without a governor for an entire year when Bennett accepted the position. He was Governor of Idaho Territory from 1871 to 1875.

In 1874 Bennett was declared the winner of the election for Congressional delegate from Idaho Territory. Bennett served until June 1876 when a recount determined his opponent in the 1874 election, Stephen S. Fenn, was the actual winner. Upon leaving office Bennett returned to Indiana.

Death

Bennett died on February 2, 1893 in Richmond, Wayne County, Indiana. He is interred at Earlham Cemetery, Richmond.

References

Thomas W. Bennett (territorial governor) Wikipedia