William Kennon Sr. (May 14, 1793 – November 2, 1881) was an American lawyer and politician who served three terms as a

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...

from Ohio. He served in Congress from 1829 to 1833, then again from 1835 to 1837. He was a cousin of Congressman

William Kennon Jr. William Kennon Jr. (June 12, 1802October 19, 1867) was a lawyer, judge, and a United States House of Representatives, U.S. Representative from Ohio. He served for one term from 1847 to 1849. Early life Born in Carrickfergus, County Antrim on th ...

Early life and career

Born in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, Kennon moved with his parents to Belmont County, Ohio, in 1804. He attended the common schools and Franklin College, New Athens, Ohio. He studied law. He was admitted to the bar in 1824 and commenced practice in

St. Clairsville, Ohio St. Clairsville is a city in and the county seat of Belmont County, Ohio, United States. The population was 5,096 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Wheeling metropolitan area. History The seat of justice of Belmont County was originally know ...

Congress

Kennon was elected as a Jacksonian to the Twenty-first and Twenty-second Congresses (March 4, 1829 – March 3, 1833). He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1832 to the Twenty-third Congress. Kennon was elected to the Twenty-fourth Congress (March 4, 1835 – March 3, 1837). He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1836 to the Twenty-fifth Congress.

Later career

He served as president judge of the court of common pleas 1840–1847. He served as delegate to the second State constitutional convention in 1850. He was appointed to fill the unexpired term of William B. Caldwell as judge of the Ohio Supreme Court in 1854 by Governor

William Medill William Medill (February 1802September 2, 1865) was a Democratic politician from Ohio. He served as the 22nd governor of Ohio from 1853 to 1856. Biography Born in White Clay Hundred, New Castle County, Delaware, William was the son of Irish ...

. He resigned in 1856 and resumed the practice of law in St. Clairsville, Ohio. Kennon became affiliated with the

Republican Party Republican Party is a name used by many political parties around the world, though the term most commonly refers to the United States' Republican Party. Republican Party may also refer to: Africa *Republican Party (Liberia) * Republican Part ...

at the outbreak of the Civil War.

Family life

Kennon married Mary Ellis on June 16, 1825, and they had three children.The Supreme Court of Ohio and The Ohio Judicial System - William Kennon
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Death

Kennon died in St. Clairsville, Belmont County, Ohio, November 2, 1881. He was interred in Methodist Cemetery.

Sources

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kennon, William Sr. 1793 births 1881 deaths Ohio Constitutional Convention (1850) People from Uniontown, Pennsylvania Justices of the Ohio Supreme Court People from St. Clairsville, Ohio Ohio lawyers Ohio Democrats Franklin College (New Athens, Ohio) Ohio Republicans Jacksonian members of the United States House of Representatives from Ohio 19th-century American legislators Kennon family (Ohio)