Kensey Johns Jr. (December 10, 1791 – March 28, 1857) was an American lawyer and politician from Delaware. He was a member of the

Federalist Party The Federalist Party was a Conservatism in the United States, conservative political party which was the first political party in the United States. As such, under Alexander Hamilton, it dominated the national government from 1789 to 1801. De ...

and later the Whig Party who served as U.S. Representative from Delaware.

Early life and education

Johns was born in New Castle, Delaware, son of Delaware jurist and

Chancellor Chancellor ( la, cancellarius) is a title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the or lattice work screens of a basilica or law cou ...

Kensey Johns. Growing up, he pursued

classical studies Classics or classical studies is the study of classical antiquity. In the Western world, classics traditionally refers to the study of Classical Greek and Roman literature and their related original languages, Ancient Greek and Latin. Classics ...

and graduated from Princeton College in 1810. He studied law with his uncle, Nicholas Van Dyke and at the

Litchfield Law School The Litchfield Law School of Litchfield, Connecticut, was the first independent law school established in America for reading law. Founded and led by lawyer Tapping Reeve, the proprietary school was unaffiliated with any college or university. (Whi ...

, was admitted to the Delaware Bar in 1813 and commenced the practice of law in New Castle.

Career

Johns was elected to the 20th Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the appointment of

Louis McLane Louis McLane (May 28, 1786 – October 7, 1857) was an American lawyer and politician from Wilmington, in New Castle County, Delaware, and Baltimore, Maryland. He was a veteran of the War of 1812, a member of the Federalist Party and later th ...

to the U.S. Senate and McLane's consequent resignation. He was reelected to the 21st Congress and served from October 2, 1827, to March 3, 1831. After the death of his father, he was appointed to take his place as Chancellor of Delaware in 1832. He served in this capacity for 25 years, until his own death in 1857. He also served as Presiding Judge of the Orphan's Court and

Court of Errors and Appeals A court of appeals, also called a court of appeal, appellate court, appeal court, court of second instance or second instance court, is any court of law that is empowered to hear an appeal of a trial court or other lower tribunal. In much of ...

Personal life

His wife was Maria Johns and his mother was Nancy Ann Van Dyke Johns, the daughter of former Delaware President Nicholas Van Dyke. They were members of the Presbyterian Church at New Castle. He was a slaveholder. Updated 12 April 2022

Death and legacy

Johns died unexpectedly in New Castle, Delaware while in office. He was buried in the Presbyterian Cemetery in New Castle. He is said to have been "painstaking and laborious to a degree in his careful examination of questions, but was also notably prompt in making his decisions." He was known to have been a lawyer who would be "referring every case to some well-settled principle of law, rather than seeking to support it upon mere case authority. He not only laboriously, but conscientiously, sought to adjudge every case thus submitted, but also to draw upon therefrom well defined principles and rules of equity." Nevertheless, he was "notably prompt in making his decisions, seldom permitting the term to pass in making his determination."Conrad, Henry C., History of the State of Delaware, 1908.

Almanac

Elections were held the first Tuesday of October. U.S. Representatives took office March 4 and have a two-year term.

Notes

References

Bibliography

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External links

Biographical Dictionary of the U.S. Congress

Find A Grave

{{DEFAULTSORT:Johns, Kensey Jr. 1791 births 1857 deaths 19th-century American judges 19th-century American lawyers 19th-century American legislators American people of Dutch descent American Presbyterians Burials in New Castle County, Delaware Chancellors of Delaware People from New Castle, Delaware Delaware lawyers Delaware Federalists Delaware National Republicans Delaware Whigs Members of the United States House of Representatives from Delaware National Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives Princeton University alumni