Addison

JENNISON, Silas Hemenway

Vermont Historical Magazine, No. XI, October 1867, p 101
(extracted from a section on the history of Shoreham, Addison County, Vermont)

Hon. Silas Hemenway JENNISON was born 17 May 1791 in Shoreham [Addison 
County, Vermont], son of Levi and Ruth Hemenway JENNISON. When [he was] 
about a year old his father died and left him, an only son, to the mother's 
care. This widowed mother, who is now living, at the advanced age of 
eighty-nine, was a woman of uncommon energy and industry. While very young 
he developed a decided taste for reading and study; but soon as he became 
able to labor, his services were needed at home, and after that, only a few 
weeks a year enjoyed the benefits of school. The companionship of other boys 
had few attractions; he spent his time at home, and rarely came into the 
house to sit down without taking a book. While a youth he was more interested 
in his reading than husbandry, though in after life he took much satisfaction 
in the study of agriculture as a science, and in making improvements in its 
various branches.

During those seasons of the year in which he had most leisure he devoted his 
evenings to study, and recited to Mr. SISSON, a near neighbor, of whom he 
doubtless learned to write that round and beautiful hand, and became expert 
in arithmetic and surveying. The habit of study he kept up through life, and 
had a mind well stored with general information. In person he was tall, 
stoutly built, with a large well-formed head, manners unaffected and 
pleasing, easy in conversation; but through distrust of his own powers, or 
extreme caution, he never engaged in public debate. If he possessed little 
of the brilliancy of genius, he had what is no less valuable, great prudence, 
a correct, though not highly cultivated taste, and what contributed perhaps 
most to his advancement in public life, facility and accuracy in the 
transaction of business, and general knowledge of matters pertaining to civil 
government and its administration.

He was town representative from 1829 to 1835; associate judge of the county 
six years; member of the State council three years; lieutenant governor two 
years, the last of which, no choice of chief magistrate being made, he acted 
as governor, and in 1836 was elected governor by the popular vote, which 
office he filled for six years. The issuing of his proclamation, at the time 
that the sympathies of many were enlisted in favor of the insurgents in 
Canada in 1836, warning the citizens against violating the neutrality laws, 
was censured by some, and contributed for a time to diminish his popularity; 
but when the subject came to be better understood, the course he took was 
approved by the people, and the firmness and good judgment which he displayed 
at that critical time, rendered him one of the most popular governors the 
state has ever had. In 1840, in the most exciting canvass ever witnessed in 
Vermont, Gov. JENNISON's majority over the administration candidate was 
10,798. In that year he declined re-election, but for six years after was 
judge of probate, the duties of which office he discharged to general 
acceptance. After protracted sickness and suffering, he [Silas Hemenway 
JENNISON] closed his life in his native town [Shoreham, Addison County, 
Vermont] in September 1849.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly