Kensey Johns Jr. (December 10, 1791 – March 28, 1857) was an American lawyer and politician from

Delaware Delaware ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic states, South Atlantic regions of the United States. It borders Maryland to its south and west, Pennsylvania to its north, New Jersey ...

. He was a member of the

Federalist Party The Federalist Party was a conservativeMultiple sources: * * * * * * * * and nationalist American political party and the first political party in the United States. It dominated the national government under Alexander Hamilton from 17 ...

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

Early life and education

Johns was born in

New Castle, Delaware New Castle is a city in New Castle County, Delaware, United States. The city is located six miles (10 km) south of Wilmington, Delaware, Wilmington and is situated on the Delaware River. As of 2020, the city's population was 5,551. New Cast ...

, son of Delaware jurist and

Chancellor Chancellor () is a title of various official positions in the governments of many countries. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the (lattice work screens) of a basilica (court hall), which separa ...

Kensey Johns. Growing up, he pursued

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

and graduated from

Princeton College Princeton University is a private Ivy League research university in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the Unit ...

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

Litchfield Law School The Litchfield Law School was a law school in Litchfield, Connecticut, that operated from 1774 to 1833. Litchfield was the first independent law school established in America for reading law. Founded and led by lawyer Tapping Reeve, the proprietar ...

, 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, Delaware, Wilmington, in New Castle County, Delaware, and Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland. He was a veteran of the War of 1812, a member of t ...

to the

U.S. Senate The United States Senate is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and House have the authority under Article One of the ...

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.

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.

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

{{DEFAULTSORT:Johns, Kensey Jr. 1791 births 1857 deaths 19th-century Delaware state court judges 19th-century American lawyers American politicians of Dutch descent American Presbyterians 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 19th-century members of the United States House of Representatives