William D. Denney

William Du Hamel Denney (born March 31, 1873 in Dover , Delaware ; † November 21, 1953 in Elsmere , Delaware) was an American politician and governor of the state of Delaware from 1921 to 1925 .

Early years and political advancement

William Denney attended the Wesleyan Collegiate Institute in Dover. He then worked in the insurance industry. Among other things, he worked for the Hartford Fire Insurance Company and the Dover Insurance Agency . During the First World War he was a first lieutenant in the US Army . His marching orders to France were postponed several times and finally canceled. In this way he was spared a combat mission.

Denney became a member of the Republican Party . Between 1905 and 1907 he was a member and president of the Delaware House of Representatives . In June 1908 he was a delegate to the Republican National Convention in Chicago , where William Howard Taft was named a presidential candidate. From 1907 to 1913 Denney was the private secretary of US Senator Harry A. Richardson . In 1920 he was elected governor of his state with 55 percent of the vote against Andrew J. Lynch, the Democratic Party candidate .

Delaware Governor

William Denney took up his new office on January 18, 1921. During this time the school system was reformed again. With the "School Law of 1921" the school system was no longer financed by the counties, but with the help of a tax directly from the State of Delaware. At the same time, an education committee was set up. During Denney's tenure, the state's health and transportation committees were restructured. At the same time, the so-called Child Welfare Commission was set up to deal with the well-being of children. The expansion of the road network progressed rapidly in those years.

The appointment of T. Coleman du Pont as a US Senator in 1922 was very controversial in Delaware. Du Pont was one of the richest men in the state and had used his money to finance some government and party projects. At that time the suspicion arose that he had bought the office of senator. He was voted out of office in the next congressional elections.

Another résumé

Denney remained politically active even after his governorship. In 1931 he was Acting Secretary of State of Delaware and in 1940 he was Commissioner for the State Motor Vehicle Commission . From 1941 to 1948 he was a State Librarian who directed the Delaware State Archives. From 1920 until his death he was on the executive committee of his Republican Party in his state. In 1924 and 1928 he was again a delegate at the respective federal party conventions of his party. William Denney died in November 1953. He had two children with his wife Alice Goodwin.

literature

• Robert Sobel and John Raimo (Eds.): Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789–1978. Volume 1, Meckler Books, Westport, 1978. 4 volumes.

Web links

• William D. Denney in the database of the National Governors Association (English)

• William D. Denney in the database of Find a Grave (English)
• The governors of Delaware (English)