William
Dennison
was
born in Cincinnati in 1815. After graduating from Miami University
he worked as a lawyer. Later he became a successful railroad promoter
and bank president. A member of the Republican
Party he was a strong opponent of slavery.
Elected governor of Ohio in 1859, Dennison was a advocate of firm
action against the Confederacy after the capture of Fort
Sumter. He was also an enthusiastic recruiter of soldiers for
the Union Army. Although he shared the
political views of Salmon Chase he supported
the nomination of Abraham Lincoln in
1864.
In September, 1864, Dennison's loyalty was rewarded when he was appointed
as Postmaster General. Dennison shared the views of the Radical
Republicans and disillusioned with the increasingly conservative
policies of President Andrew Johnson,
he resigned from the Cabinet in 1866. William
Dennison died in 1882.
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