Fenton, Reuben E. (Reuben Eaton), 1819-1885

Variant names

Hide Profile

Born in the Town of Carroll, Chautauqua County, New York on 4 July 1819, and was educated in a rural school. At the age of twenty he moved to Jamestown, where he entered the lumber business and soon became a prosperous merchant. He also studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1841. Elected to Congress as a Democrat in 1852, he vigorously opposed the extention of Slavery, and soon afterward joined the Republican Party and was elected to Congress of that party, representing the Chautauqua District, from 1856 to 1864, when he was elected Governor of New York State. Both as Congressman and Governor, he was a strong supporter of the Lincoln Administration and its war policies. In 1869, he was elected to the United States Senate, holding the office for one term. As a Senator, he most often voted with the radical wing of the Republican Party. In 1878, he was appointed chairman of the International Monetary Conference in Paris. He died in Jamestown, New York on 24 August 1885.

From the description of Papers, 1854-1885. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122519796

Congressman, governor.

From the description of Papers, 1842-1938. (New York State Historical Documents). WorldCat record id: 155439724

Governor of New York and United States Senator.

From the description of Letter signed : Albany, N.Y., to President Johnson, 1865 Jun. 16. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270537565

Governor of New York State, 1865-1868.

From the description of Reuben Fenton papers, 1865-1875. (Cornell University Library). WorldCat record id: 63534477

Reuben Eaton Fenton was a United States senator and governor of New York State. Shortly before his retirement from public life in 1875, he wrote to Mrs. Barnes (24 May 1875):

...it is my fixed purpose not to be a candidate, under any circumstances. Why should I? Is not twenty years of service in high official positions enough to fill the measure of ordinary ambition? I do not ignore the public view, outside of all personal considerations, to which you refer, but feel that you overestimate my importance to it.

From the guide to the Reuben E. Fenton Letters, 1864-1884, (Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Kelly, Katharine Barrett,. Local history documents and ephemera, 1807-1968. Campbell University, Wiggins Memorial Library
referencedIn Ezra Cornell papers, (bulk), 1746-1888, 1844-1870 Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library.
referencedIn Wilder, Dexter. Dexter Wilder papers, 1836-1872. Cornell University Library
referencedIn Sherman, Isaac, 1818-1881. Papers of Isaac Sherman, 1832-1913 (bulk 1848-1881). Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens
referencedIn Frederick M. Dearborn collection of military and political Americana, Part I: The Revolution and the Administration, 1669-1958. Houghton Library
creatorOf Fenton, Reuben Eaton, 1819-1885. Letter, 1863, June 16, Maryland, to Capt. Foster. Brown University Archives, John Hay Library
referencedIn Sayles Jenks Bowen Papers, 1836-1882, (bulk 1876-1882) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Augustus Mendon Lord collection, Lord (Augustus Mendon) collection, (bulk 1876-1908), 1778-1908 John Hay Library, Special Collections
referencedIn Autograph File, F, 1447-1994. Houghton Library
creatorOf Hancock, Winfield Scott, 1824-1886. Letter, 1865 Feb. 9, Washington, D.C., to R.E. Fenton, [Albany, N.Y.]. Dartmouth College Library
referencedIn Autograph File, D, 1586-1975. Houghton Library
referencedIn William Page and Page Family papers Archives of American Art
referencedIn Sumner, Charles, 1811-1874. Correspondence, 1829-1874 Houghton Library
referencedIn New York (State). Adjutant General's Office. Correspondence and petitions, 1821-1896. New York State Archives
creatorOf Humphreys, A. A. (Andrew Atkinson), 1810-1883. Autograph letter signed : Head Qrs. 2d Corps, Va., to Reuben E. Fenton, 1865 Jan. 23. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Lanman, Charles, 1819-1895. Collection, 1829-1869. Bulk: 1855-1869. American Periodical Series I
creatorOf Fenton, Reuben Eaton, 1819-1885. Reuben Fenton papers, 1865-1875. Cornell University Library
referencedIn Weed, Thurlow, 1797-1882. Thurlow Weed papers, 1838-1891. New Jersey Historical Society Library
creatorOf Emory, William H. (William Hemsley), 1811-1887. Autograph letter signed : Cumberland, to Governor Fenton of New York, 1865 Sept. 30. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Fenton, Reuben Eaton, 1819-1885. Papers, 1854-1885. American Periodical Series I
referencedIn Cornell University. Cornell University charter, 1865. Cornell University Library
referencedIn Lincoln, Mary Todd, 1818-1882. Letters, 1856-1859. The Filson Historical Society
referencedIn Pierrepont, Edwards, 1817-1892. Letters, 1863 Aug. 20 -- 1866 Sept. 13, to William M. Evarts. Dartmouth College Library
creatorOf Clifford, Jeremiah, fl. 1865-1868. Case file, 1865-1868. American Periodical Series I
referencedIn Frederick M. Dearborn collection of military and political Americana, Part I: The Revolution and the Administration, 1669-1958. Houghton Library
referencedIn Shaw, Albert D. (Albert Duane), 1841-1901. Papers, 1830-1920. American Periodical Series I
referencedIn Lockman, DeWitt McClennan, 1870-1957,. [Map of the area later bounded by 42nd and 53rd Streets, Broadway and 9th Avenues, Manhattan, New York (N.Y.)]. New-York Historical Society Library
referencedIn Hillyer, William Silliman, 1831-1874. Papers of William Silliman Hillyer, 1822 (1861-1874) 1931, [manuscript]. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Morgan, Edwin D. (Edwin Denison), 1811-1883. Papers, 1830-1872. American Periodical Series I
creatorOf New York (State). Governor (1865-1869 : Fenton). Military commission of John Wilkes Wilkeson, 1865 Sept. 18. Buffalo History Museum, Research Library
creatorOf Fenton, Reuben E. (Reuben Eaton), 1819-1885. Letter signed : Albany, N.Y., to President Johnson, 1865 Jun. 16. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Reuben E. Fenton Letters, 1864-1884 Syracuse University. Library. Special Collections Research Center
referencedIn Fenton, Reuben Eaton, 1819-1885. Reuben Fenton papers, 1865-1875. Cornell University Library
referencedIn Browning, Irving, 1895-1961. Autograph Collection, 1678-1966. New York State Library
creatorOf Fenton, Reuben Eaton, 1819-1885. Papers, 1842-1938. New York State Historical Documents (Albany, N.Y.)
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
correspondedWith Bowen, Sayles Jenks, 1813-1896. person
associatedWith Browning, Irving, 1895-1961. person
associatedWith Clifford, Jeremiah, fl. 1865-1868. person
associatedWith Cornell, Ezra, 1807-1874 person
associatedWith Cornell University. corporateBody
associatedWith Darling, Henry, 1823-1891 person
associatedWith Dearborn, Frederick M. (Frederick Myers), b. 1876 person
associatedWith Dobbin, James C. (James Cochran), 1814-1857 person
associatedWith Emory, William H. (William Hemsley), 1811-1887. person
associatedWith Fenton, Reuben Eaton, Jr. person
associatedWith Foster, Captain, person
associatedWith Hancock, Winfield Scott, 1824-1886. person
associatedWith Hillyer, William Silliman, 1831-1874. person
associatedWith Humphreys, A. A. (Andrew Atkinson), 1810-1883. person
associatedWith Johnson, Andrew, 1808-1875, person
associatedWith Kelly, Katharine Barrett, person
associatedWith Lanman, Charles, 1819-1895. person
associatedWith Lincoln, Mary Todd, 1818-1882. person
associatedWith Lord, Augustus Mendon, 1861-1941 person
associatedWith Morgan, Edwin D. (Edwin Denison), 1811-1883. person
associatedWith New York (State). Adjutant General's Office. corporateBody
associatedWith New York (State). Governor (1865-1868: Fenton). corporateBody
associatedWith New York State. Office of the Governor corporateBody
associatedWith Page, William, 1811-1885. person
associatedWith Pierrepont, Edwards, 1817-1892. person
associatedWith Republican Party (N.Y.) corporateBody
associatedWith Republican Party (US: 1854-). corporateBody
associatedWith Shaw, Albert D. (Albert Duane), 1841-1901. person
correspondedWith Sherman, Isaac, 1818-1881. person
correspondedWith Sumner, Charles, 1811-1874 person
associatedWith United States. Congress corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Congress. House (Fenton: 1852-1865). corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Congress. Senate (Fenton: 1869-1875). corporateBody
associatedWith Weed, Thurlow, 1797-1882. person
associatedWith Wilder, Dexter. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Albany (N.Y.)
Jamestown (N.Y.)
United States
New York (State)
United States
New York (State)
New York (State)--Jamestown
Subject
Governor
Governors
Harnesses
New York (State)
Women
Occupation
Governors
Politicians
Activity

Person

Birth 1819-07-04

Death 1885-08-25

Information

Permalink: http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w61c1vrh

Ark ID: w61c1vrh

SNAC ID: 34445781