Joseph Kent
Encyclopedia
Joseph Kent a Whig
, was a United States Senator
from Maryland
, serving from 1833 until his death in 1837. He also served in the House of Representatives
, serving the second district of Maryland from 1811-1815 and again from 1819-1826, and as the 19th Governor of Maryland
from 1826-1829.
. He was the son of Daniel Kent, Sr. (1754-1805) and Anne Weems Wheeler (1761-1823). Joseph Kent received a liberal schooling at Lower Marlboro Academy, and studied medicine. He was admitted to medical practice in Lower Marlborough
, Calvert County in 1799 with a Doctor Parran, but ceased relations with Parran after a political disagreement in 1801.
. She died August 14, 1826. Eleanor was the daughter Dr. Michael Wallace, Jr., Esq. (1749-1794) and Eleanor Lee Contee (1758-1786). Their daughter, Adelaide MacKubin Kent, would marry Thomas Pratt
, another Governor of Maryland and U.S. Senator.
, and settled there around 1807. "Rosemount" is part of the large estate, "Park Hall", owned by the Gantt family in 1735, about which time it was divided and sold. Joseph gave the name "Rosemount". He was passionately fond of roses and the old terraced garden was kept profusely planted with lilies and roses, justifying his choice of the new name he had given his home.
He continued the practice of medicine and also engaged in farming on his estate. In 1807, Dr. Kent removed to the vicinity of Bladensburg and entered the Maryland State Militia as a Surgeon's mate, in the 34th Regiment of the Maryland Militia. In 1809 he was made a full surgeon, but resigned. In the militia, Kent received the rank of a Lieutenant Colonel, and finally as a Colonel of the Cavalry of the 2nd Maryland Militia Cavalry.
Joseph resided at the first public meeting in Washington for the organization of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal
, in which he became a director.
, opposing War
with Great Britain, he voted with the Republican party in declaring War. He was a Presidential Elector in 1816, casting his vote for James Monroe (1758-1831). He later broke with the Federalist party and by the time of the next election he was a Democratic-Republican
, in which he was elected to another term in the House of Representatives from March 4, 1819 until he resigned on January 6, 1826. In his second tenure in Congress, Kent continued as chairman of the Committee on the District of Columbia.
and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
. The immense cost of these projects, however, were never fully repudiated until several decades after Kent's administration, and placed the state under immense financial burden for many years aftwards.
Other areas of interest for Kent included prison reform
, separating presidential voting into districts, and for increased funding for schools and colleges. He also sought to improve the maintenance of the state's records, "so indispensably necessary to its correct history" as he said.
, and offered a resolution asking for negotiations with France regarding lower tobacco prices and restricting the importing of tobacco. However, although this resolution passed, it was not widely popular.
Due to ill health, Kent attended only four sessions of the Senate, and died in 1837 as a result of a fall from his horse. He is buried in an unmarked grave at his home of "Rosemount".
Whig Party (United States)
The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic...
, was a United States Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
from Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, serving from 1833 until his death in 1837. He also served in the House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, serving the second district of Maryland from 1811-1815 and again from 1819-1826, and as the 19th Governor of Maryland
Governor of Maryland
The Governor of Maryland heads the executive branch of the government of Maryland, and he is the commander-in-chief of the state's National Guard units. The Governor is the highest-ranking official in the state, and he has a broad range of appointive powers in both the State and local governments,...
from 1826-1829.
Early life and career
Born on January 14, 1779 in Calvert County, MarylandCalvert County, Maryland
Calvert County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. It occupies the Calvert Peninsula which is bordered on the east by the Chesapeake Bay and on the west by the Patuxent River. Calvert County is part of the Southern Maryland region. Calvert County's residents are among the highest...
. He was the son of Daniel Kent, Sr. (1754-1805) and Anne Weems Wheeler (1761-1823). Joseph Kent received a liberal schooling at Lower Marlboro Academy, and studied medicine. He was admitted to medical practice in Lower Marlborough
Lower Marlboro, Maryland
Lower Marlboro, Maryland is a small, waterfront unincorporated community in Calvert County, Maryland along the Patuxent River....
, Calvert County in 1799 with a Doctor Parran, but ceased relations with Parran after a political disagreement in 1801.
First Marriage
Joseph married first, Eleanor Lee Contee Wallace (1782-1826) on October 30, 1804. Eleanor was born December 9, 1782 in Prince George's County, MarylandPrince George's County, Maryland
Prince George's County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland, immediately north, east, and south of Washington, DC. As of 2010, it has a population of 863,420 and is the wealthiest African-American majority county in the nation....
. She died August 14, 1826. Eleanor was the daughter Dr. Michael Wallace, Jr., Esq. (1749-1794) and Eleanor Lee Contee (1758-1786). Their daughter, Adelaide MacKubin Kent, would marry Thomas Pratt
Thomas Pratt
Thomas George Pratt was a lawyer and politician from Annapolis, Maryland. He was the 27th Governor of Maryland from 1845 to 1848 and a U.S. Senator from 1850 to 1857.-Early life and career:...
, another Governor of Maryland and U.S. Senator.
Farming, Medicine, and Military
Kent purchased a 300 acres (1.2 km²) estate named "Rosemount" near Bladensburg, MarylandBladensburg, Maryland
Bladensburg is a town in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 7,661 at the 2000 census.Bladensburg is from central Washington, DC...
, and settled there around 1807. "Rosemount" is part of the large estate, "Park Hall", owned by the Gantt family in 1735, about which time it was divided and sold. Joseph gave the name "Rosemount". He was passionately fond of roses and the old terraced garden was kept profusely planted with lilies and roses, justifying his choice of the new name he had given his home.
He continued the practice of medicine and also engaged in farming on his estate. In 1807, Dr. Kent removed to the vicinity of Bladensburg and entered the Maryland State Militia as a Surgeon's mate, in the 34th Regiment of the Maryland Militia. In 1809 he was made a full surgeon, but resigned. In the militia, Kent received the rank of a Lieutenant Colonel, and finally as a Colonel of the Cavalry of the 2nd Maryland Militia Cavalry.
Joseph resided at the first public meeting in Washington for the organization of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal
The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, abbreviated as the C&O Canal, and occasionally referred to as the "Grand Old Ditch," operated from 1831 until 1924 parallel to the Potomac River in Maryland from Cumberland, Maryland to Washington, D.C. The total length of the canal is about . The elevation change of...
, in which he became a director.
Politics
Turning to politics, Joseph was elected to the United States Congress in 1810 taking his seat on March 4, 1811 and served several years until March 3, 1815. Though a FederalistFederalist Party (United States)
The Federalist Party was the first American political party, from the early 1790s to 1816, the era of the First Party System, with remnants lasting into the 1820s. The Federalists controlled the federal government until 1801...
, opposing War
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
with Great Britain, he voted with the Republican party in declaring War. He was a Presidential Elector in 1816, casting his vote for James Monroe (1758-1831). He later broke with the Federalist party and by the time of the next election he was a Democratic-Republican
Democratic-Republican Party (United States)
The Democratic-Republican Party or Republican Party was an American political party founded in the early 1790s by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. Political scientists use the former name, while historians prefer the latter one; contemporaries generally called the party the "Republicans", along...
, in which he was elected to another term in the House of Representatives from March 4, 1819 until he resigned on January 6, 1826. In his second tenure in Congress, Kent continued as chairman of the Committee on the District of Columbia.
Governor of Maryland
Joseph was elected Governor of Maryland in 1826. The primary goal of Kent's administration as governor was to work towards internal improvement. He was in support of improving internal transportation, including expanding the Chesapeake and Ohio CanalChesapeake and Ohio Canal
The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, abbreviated as the C&O Canal, and occasionally referred to as the "Grand Old Ditch," operated from 1831 until 1924 parallel to the Potomac River in Maryland from Cumberland, Maryland to Washington, D.C. The total length of the canal is about . The elevation change of...
and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which...
. The immense cost of these projects, however, were never fully repudiated until several decades after Kent's administration, and placed the state under immense financial burden for many years aftwards.
Other areas of interest for Kent included prison reform
Prison reform
Prison reform is the attempt to improve conditions inside prisons, aiming at a more effective penal system.-History:Prisons have only been used as the primary punishment for criminal acts in the last couple of centuries...
, separating presidential voting into districts, and for increased funding for schools and colleges. He also sought to improve the maintenance of the state's records, "so indispensably necessary to its correct history" as he said.
Second Marriage
Joseph married Alice Lee Contee (1803-1868) on July 8, 1828 at "Bromont", near Newburg, Charles Co., Maryland. Alice was born at "Bromont", near Newburg, Charles Co., Maryland. She died August 24, 1868. Alice was the a first cousin of Joseph's first wife, Eleanor Lee Contee Wallace (1782-1826). Alice was the daughter of Capt. Benjamin Contee, Rev., Hon. (1755-1815) and Sarah Russell Lee (1766-1810).United States Senate and later life
Kent was elected as a Republican (later Whig) to the United States Senate and served from March 4, 1833, until his death at his home, ”Rosemount,” near Bladensburg. He served as chairman of the Senate Committee on the District of Columbia (Twenty-fourth and Twenty-fifth Congresses). As senator, Kent was opposed to the Bank of the United StatesSecond Bank of the United States
The Second Bank of the United States was chartered in 1816, five years after the First Bank of the United States lost its own charter. The Second Bank of the United States was initially headquartered in Carpenters' Hall, Philadelphia, the same as the First Bank, and had branches throughout the...
, and offered a resolution asking for negotiations with France regarding lower tobacco prices and restricting the importing of tobacco. However, although this resolution passed, it was not widely popular.
Due to ill health, Kent attended only four sessions of the Senate, and died in 1837 as a result of a fall from his horse. He is buried in an unmarked grave at his home of "Rosemount".