Stephen Southmyd Fenn (March 28, 1820 – April 13, 1892) was a congressional 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 population was 22,105 at the 2020 census. The ZIP codes for Watertown are 06795 (for most of the town) and 06779 (for the Oakville section). It is a suburb of Waterbury. ...

, Fenn moved with his parents to

Niagara County, New York Niagara County is in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 212,666. The county seat is Lockport. The county name is from the Iroquois word ''Onguiaahra''; meaning ''the strait'' or ''thunder of waters''. Niag ...

, in 1824. He attended the 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 state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the ...

in 1850 and engaged in mining and ranching, studied law, and 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 and commenced practice in that part of

Washington Territory The Territory of Washington 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 th ...

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 territor ...

upon its organization in 1863. He also engaged in mining and served as member of the Idaho Territorial council 1864-1867. Fenn served as district attorney for the first judicial district in 1869 and served as member of the Territorial legislature in 1872 and served as speaker of the house. He engaged in agricultural pursuits and successfully contested as a Democrat 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 died in

Blackfoot, Idaho Blackfoot (Shoshoni language: Soo-gahni) is a city in Bingham County, Idaho. The population was 11,907 at the time of the 2019 census. The city is the county seat of Bingham County. Blackfoot boasts the largest potato industry in any one area, and ...

, on April 13, 1892, and was interred in its Asylum Cemetery. The community of Fenn on the

Camas Prairie The name camas prairie refers to several different geographical areas in the western United States which were named for the native perennial camassia or camas. The culturally and scientitifcally significant of these areas lie within Idaho and Monta ...

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), Washingto ...

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

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Fenn, Stephen Southmyd 1820 births 1892 deaths People from Watertown, Connecticut Members of the Idaho Territorial Legislature Delegates to the United States House of Representatives from Idaho Territory Idaho Democrats 19th-century American politicians