Thomas McKean Thompson McKennan
Encyclopedia
Thomas McKean Thompson McKennan (March 31, 1794 – July 9, 1852) was a nineteenth century politician
and lawyer
who briefly served as United States Secretary of the Interior
.
Born in New London, Pennsylvania, in 1794, McKennan later moved with his family to Washington, Pennsylvania
. He graduated from Washington College in 1810 and was admitted to the bar in 1814, commencing practice in Washington. He was a member of the Union Literary Society at Washington College
.
He worked as a tutor at Washington College in 1813, as he was studying law. Later, he was a Trustee of the College and was often asked to be President of Washington College, but he refused every time.
from 1815 to 1816, and served on Town Council in Washington, Pennsylvania, from 1818 to 1830, and was elected to the twenty-second congress
in 1830. He served in the United States House of Representatives
from 1831 to 1839, where he made a protective tariff his top priority. McKennan refused to stand as a candidate again in the 1838 elections, and retired from Congress. He served again from 1842 to 1843 as both an Anti-Masonic
and Whig
to complete the term of his late successor Joseph Lawrence
. (The special election was set for May 20, 1842.) He was the chairman of the Committee on Roads and Canals
in the twenty-seventh congress
.
Despite immense pressure from associates, friends, and the Washington County Whig Party, McKennan again refused to run for another term in Congress, declaring that he had done his duty by serving in public office, and it was time to return to Washington, Pennsylvania, and focus on his law practice. In 1844, his supporters in his hometown of Washington, Pennsylvania, unsuccessfully tried to stir up interest in McKennan as a running mate for Henry Clay, and there is no indication that McKennan himself approved of the idea. McKennan also resisted efforts to entice him to run for governor of Pennsylvania in the 1840s, but in 1848, he served as president of the Pennsylvania electoral college
.
Upon Millard Fillmore
becoming President of the United States
, McKennan was offered the position of United States Secretary of the Interior
, but was reluctant to accept; only after intense pressure from friends and associates did he relent. Almost immediately, he regretted his decision, and resigned after a tenure of only 11 days. During his brief time as Secretary, McKennan was the head of the 1850 Census, which was being conducted that summer, and he issued a remarkably foresighted statement on the importance of protecting individual privacy:
Following his resignation, McKennan took on a less stressful job as president of the Hempfield Railroad, which was then under construction between Wheeling, Virginia, and Greensburg, Pennsylvania, through his own town of Washington (in 1871, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
purchased the financially-hobbled Hempfield). McKennan died on July 9, 1852, in Reading, Pennsylvania
, while on Hempfield Railroad business, and he was interred at Washington Cemetery in his long-time home of Washington, Pennsylvania.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
who briefly served as United States Secretary of the Interior
United States Secretary of the Interior
The United States Secretary of the Interior is the head of the United States Department of the Interior.The US Department of the Interior should not be confused with the concept of Ministries of the Interior as used in other countries...
.
Early life
Washington, Pennsylvania
Washington is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States, within the Pittsburgh Metro Area in the southwestern part of the state...
. He graduated from Washington College in 1810 and was admitted to the bar in 1814, commencing practice in Washington. He was a member of the Union Literary Society at Washington College
Washington & Jefferson College
Washington & Jefferson College, also known as W & J College or W&J, is a private liberal arts college in Washington, Pennsylvania, in the United States, which is south of Pittsburgh...
.
He worked as a tutor at Washington College in 1813, as he was studying law. Later, he was a Trustee of the College and was often asked to be President of Washington College, but he refused every time.
Political career
He was deputy attorney general of PennsylvaniaPennsylvania Attorney General
The Pennsylvania Attorney General is the chief law enforcement officer of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It became an elected office in 1980. Currently, the office is held by Linda Kelly.- Authority and Responsibilities :...
from 1815 to 1816, and served on Town Council in Washington, Pennsylvania, from 1818 to 1830, and was elected to the twenty-second congress
22nd United States Congress
-House of Representatives:-Leadership:- Senate :* President:** John C. Calhoun , resigned December 28, 1832, thereafter vacant.* President pro tempore:** Samuel Smith , first elected December 5, 1831** Littleton W...
in 1830. He served in the United States 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...
from 1831 to 1839, where he made a protective tariff his top priority. McKennan refused to stand as a candidate again in the 1838 elections, and retired from Congress. He served again from 1842 to 1843 as both an Anti-Masonic
Anti-Masonic Party
The Anti-Masonic Party was the first "third party" in the United States. It strongly opposed Freemasonry and was founded as a single-issue party aspiring to become a major party....
and Whig
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...
to complete the term of his late successor Joseph Lawrence
Joseph Lawrence (Pennsylvania)
Joseph Lawrence was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.-Early life:Joseph Lawrence was born near Hunterstown, Pennsylvania. He moved with his widowed mother to a farm in Washington County, Pennsylvania, in 1789, and attended the common schools...
. (The special election was set for May 20, 1842.) He was the chairman of the Committee on Roads and Canals
United States House Committee on Roads and Canals
The United States House Committee on Roads and Canals was a U.S. House committee, which was initially established as a select committee in 1815 and subsequently became a standing committee between 1831 and 1869. Roads and canals were an initial and integral sector of domestic improvements for...
in the twenty-seventh congress
27th United States Congress
The Twenty-seventh United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1841 to March 3, 1843, during the one-month...
.
Despite immense pressure from associates, friends, and the Washington County Whig Party, McKennan again refused to run for another term in Congress, declaring that he had done his duty by serving in public office, and it was time to return to Washington, Pennsylvania, and focus on his law practice. In 1844, his supporters in his hometown of Washington, Pennsylvania, unsuccessfully tried to stir up interest in McKennan as a running mate for Henry Clay, and there is no indication that McKennan himself approved of the idea. McKennan also resisted efforts to entice him to run for governor of Pennsylvania in the 1840s, but in 1848, he served as president of the Pennsylvania electoral college
Electoral college
An electoral college is a set of electors who are selected to elect a candidate to a particular office. Often these represent different organizations or entities, with each organization or entity represented by a particular number of electors or with votes weighted in a particular way...
.
Upon Millard Fillmore
Millard Fillmore
Millard Fillmore was the 13th President of the United States and the last member of the Whig Party to hold the office of president...
becoming President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
, McKennan was offered the position of United States Secretary of the Interior
United States Secretary of the Interior
The United States Secretary of the Interior is the head of the United States Department of the Interior.The US Department of the Interior should not be confused with the concept of Ministries of the Interior as used in other countries...
, but was reluctant to accept; only after intense pressure from friends and associates did he relent. Almost immediately, he regretted his decision, and resigned after a tenure of only 11 days. During his brief time as Secretary, McKennan was the head of the 1850 Census, which was being conducted that summer, and he issued a remarkably foresighted statement on the importance of protecting individual privacy:
Information has been received at this office that in some cases unnecessary
exposure has been made by the assistant marshals with reference to the
business and pursuits, and other facts relating to individuals, merely to gratify
curiosity, or the facts applied to the private use or pecuniary advantage of
the assistant, to the injury of others. Such a use of the returns was neither
contemplated by the act itself nor justified by the intentions and designs of
those who enacted the law. No individual employed under sanction of the
Government to obtain these facts has a right to promulgate or expose them
without authority.
...all marshals and assistants are expected to consider the facts intrusted to
them as if obtained exclusively for the use of the Government, and not to be
used in any way to the gratification of curiosity, the exposure of any man’s
business or pursuits, or for the private emolument of the marshals or
assistants, who, while employed in this service, act as the agents of the
Government in the most confidential capacity.
Following his resignation, McKennan took on a less stressful job as president of the Hempfield Railroad, which was then under construction between Wheeling, Virginia, and Greensburg, Pennsylvania, through his own town of Washington (in 1871, 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...
purchased the financially-hobbled Hempfield). McKennan died on July 9, 1852, in Reading, Pennsylvania
Reading, Pennsylvania
Reading is a city in southeastern Pennsylvania, USA, and seat of Berks County. Reading is the principal city of the Greater Reading Area and had a population of 88,082 as of the 2010 census, making it the fifth most populated city in the state after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown and Erie,...
, while on Hempfield Railroad business, and he was interred at Washington Cemetery in his long-time home of Washington, Pennsylvania.
External links
- Thomas M.T. McKennan at Find A GraveFind A GraveFind a Grave is a commercial website providing free access and input to an online database of cemetery records. It was founded in 1998 as a DBA and incorporated in 2000.-History:...