Governor William Dennison Jr. portrait   Save
Ohio Governors Collection
Description: Portrait of Ohio Governor William Dennison Jr. (1815-1882). In 1859, Dennison ran for Ohio governor on the Republican ticket, defeating Supreme Court Judge Rufus P. Ranney by approximately thirteen thousand votes. He served as governor from 1860-1862. This was a precarious time for the nation, and Dennison's administration would soon have to tackle the challenges associated with the Civil War. Addressing the crisis that the state faced in 1861, Dennison acted decisively to take control of railroads and telegraph lines. He also devoted attention to strengthening the state's defenses and sent George McClellan with Ohio troops into western Virginia to fight against the Confederacy. Although Dennison acted with the best of intentions, most Ohioans were concerned with his somewhat dictatorial manner. His popularity declined rapidly as the war developed. The Union Party, made up of Republicans and Democrats who supported the war, chose David Tod as its candidate in the 1861 gubernatorial ele View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AV105_1_17
Subjects: Ohio--Governors--Portraits; Ohio History--State and Local Government
Places: Columbus (Ohio); Franklin County (Ohio)