Stephen Southmyd Fenn (March 28, 1820 – December 8, 1892) was an American politician who served as a

congressional A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of ad ...

territorial delegate from the

Idaho Territory The Territory of Idaho was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 3, 1863, until July 3, 1890, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as Idaho. History 1860s The territory ...

. Born in

Watertown, Connecticut Watertown is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The town is part of the Naugatuck Valley Planning Region. The population was 22,105 at the 2020 census. It is a suburb of Waterbury. The urban center of the town is the Wat ...

, Fenn moved to Niagara County, New York, with his parents in 1824. He attended public schools and moved in 1841 to

Jackson County, Iowa Jackson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 19,485. The county seat is Maquoketa. History The county was formed on December 21, 1837, and named after US President Andrew Jackson. I ...

, where he held several local offices. Fenn moved to

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

in 1850 and was engaged in mining and ranching, studied law, and later was

admitted to the bar An admission to practice law is acquired when a lawyer receives a license to practice law. In jurisdictions with two types of lawyer, as with barristers and solicitors, barristers must gain admission to the bar whereas for solicitors there are dist ...

in 1862, then commenced practice in that part of

Washington Territory The Washington Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1853, until November 11, 1889, when the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Washington. It was created from the ...

which became a part of the

Territory of Idaho The Territory of Idaho was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 3, 1863, until July 3, 1890, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as Idaho. History 1860s The territory ...

upon its organization in 1863. He also engaged in mining and served as a member of the Idaho Territorial Council from 1864 to 1867. Fenn served as district attorney for the first judicial district in 1869 and was elected in 1872 as a member of the Territorial House of Representatives and as its speaker. He engaged in agricultural pursuits and successfully contested as a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (Cyprus) (DCY) **Democratic Part ...

the election of Thomas W. Bennett to the forty-fourth Congress. Fenn was reelected to the forty-fifth Congress and served from June 23, 1876, to March 3, 1879. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1878 and continued his former pursuits until July 1891. Fenn's mind weakened in his later years and he died in the insane asylum in

Blackfoot, Idaho Blackfoot is a city in and the county seat of Bingham County, Idaho, United States. The population was 12,346 at the 2020 census. Blackfoot is the principal city of the Blackfoot, Idaho, Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Bingham C ...

, on December 8, 1892. The community of Fenn on the

Camas Prairie Camas prairies are found in several different geographical areas in the western United States, and are named for the native perennial camas ('' Camassia''). The culturally and scientifically significant of these areas lie within Idaho and Montana. ...

Idaho County Idaho County is a county in the U.S. state of Idaho, and the largest by area in the state. As of the 2020 census, the population was 16,541. The county seat is Grangeville. Previous county seats of the area were Florence (1864–68), Washingt ...

is named for Fenn and his son, Major Frank A. Fenn (1853–1927), buried in Kooskia.

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Fenn, Stephen S. 1820 births 1892 deaths People from Watertown, Connecticut Members of the Idaho Territorial House of Representatives Members of the Idaho Territorial Council Delegates to the United States House of Representatives from Idaho Territory Idaho Democrats 19th-century members of the United States House of Representatives