Jacob Stout

Infobox Officeholder
honorific-prefix =
name = Jacob Stout
honorific-suffix =

---

imagesize =
small

office = Governor of Delaware
term_start = January 18 1820
term_end = January 16 1821
predecessor = John Clark
successor = John Collins
birth_date = 1764
birth_place = Kent County, Delaware
death_date = death date and age|1857|11|1|1764|7|1
death_place = Kent County, Delaware
spouse = Angelica Killen
party = Federalist
residence = Kent County, Delaware
alma_mater =
occupation = manufacturer
profession = Presbyterian
religion =

Jacob Stout (1764 – November 1 1857) was an American manufacturer and politician from Little Creek Hundred, in Kent County, Delaware. He was a member of the Federalist Party, who served in the Delaware General Assembly and as Governor of Delaware.

Early life and family

Stout was born in 1764 probably in Little Creek Hundred, Kent County, Delaware, son of Jacob Emanuel and Mary Griffin Stout. His ancestors came to Kent County from New Jersey in the 17th century. Like many in the area, his father was a reluctant revolutionary in 1776, but later served six years in the Delaware General Assembly. Jacob Stout married Angelica Killen in 1795 and had four children, Mary, William, Henry, Sarah Ann, and William Jacob. The exact location of their home is debated. Some say it was north of Leipsic and others say it was west of it, on the Cheswold Road. It was nearby in any case, as he was one of the founders of Leipsic. He was also President of the Smyrna Bank from 1844 until1847. They were members of the Presbyterian Church.

Stout had a tannery in Dover and one day while bending over to check the contents of one of the tanning vats, a pet ram seized the opportunity and butted him into the vat. Supposedly Stout then commented on the impudence of the ... ram to butt the Governor of Delaware into a tanning vat. [cite book |title= A History of Delaware Through its Governors |last= Martin |first= Roger A. |coauthors= |work= |publisher= McClafferty Press |location= Wilmington, Delaware |pages= |year= 1984 |id=, p. 138.]

Political career

Stout served in the State House for two sessions in 1813 and 1814. He was then elected to the State Senate for two terms, beginning with the 1815 session and ending with the 1820 session, when he was elected Speaker. This was done in full knowledge that he would immediately become Governor, as the person recently elected to become Governor, Henry Molleston, had died before taking office. As part of the arrangement it was agreed that Stout would serve but one year and a special gubernatorial election would be held in 1820 for a two year term. He served as Governor of Delaware from January 18 1820 until January 16 1821.

During his term in office the issue of the extension of slavery into U.S. territories became a national crisis. Typically, Delaware was divided on the matter. Stout and the General Assembly supported national action preventing slavery's extension, but most of Delaware's congressional delegation disagreed. The Missouri Compromise of 1820 was the final result.

{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
-bgcolor=#cccccc!colspan=12 style="background: #ccccff;" |Delaware General Assembly
"(sessions while Governor)"
-!Year!Assembly!!Senate Majority!Speaker!!House Majority!Speaker
-
1820
44th|
Party shading/Federalist |Federalist
Party shading/Federalist |vacant|
Party shading/Federalist |Federalist
Party shading/Federalist |Nathan Vickers
###@@@KEYEND@@@###

In 1822 Stout was named a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas.

Death and legacy

Stout died in November 1857 at his home, probably in Little Creek Hundred, Kent County. At first, he was buried at his home, but later was moved to the Presbyterian Cemetery, now on the grounds of the Delaware State Museum in Dover.

During the course of his long life he was involved in much activity. In addition to his political career and tannery, he was active in land reclamation and development projects, helped to lay out the road from Bombay Hook Lighthouse to Smyrna and was one of the founders of the town of Leipsic.

Almanac

Elections were held the first Tuesday of October. Members of the Delaware General Assembly took office the first Tuesday of January. State Senators had a three year term and State Representatives had a one year term. The Governor takes office the third Tuesday of January and had a three year term.

{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
-bgcolor=#cccccc!colspan=7 style="background: #ccccff;" | Public Offices
-! Office! Type! Location! Elected! Took Office! Left Office! notes
-Party shading/Anti-Jacksonian
State Representative
Legislature
Dover
1812
January 5 1813
January 4 1814|
-Party shading/Anti-Jacksonian
State Representative
Legislature
Dover
1813
January 4 1814
January 3 1815|
-Party shading/Anti-Jacksonian
State Senator
Legislature
Dover
1815
January 2 1816
January 5 1819|
-Party shading/Anti-Jacksonian
State Senator
Legislature
Dover
1818
January 5 1819
January 18 1820|
-Party shading/Anti-Jacksonian
Governor
Executive
Dover|
January 18 1820
January 16 1821
acting
###@@@KEYEND@@@###

{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
-bgcolor=#cccccc!colspan=7 style="background: #ccccff;" |Delaware General Assembly "service"
-! Dates! Assembly! Chamber! Majority! Governor! Committees! District
-Party shading/Federalist
1813
37th
State House
Federalist
Joseph Haslet|
Kent "at-large"
-Party shading/Federalist
1814
38th
State House
Federalist
Daniel Rodney|
Kent "at-large"
-Party shading/Federalist
1816
40th
State Senate
Federalist
Daniel Rodney|
Kent "at-large"
-Party shading/Federalist
1817
41st
State Senate
Federalist
John Clark|
Kent "at-large"
-Party shading/Federalist
1818
42nd
State Senate
Federalist
John Clark|
Kent "at-large"
-Party shading/Federalist
1819
43rd
State Senate
Federalist
John Clark|
Kent "at-large"
-Party shading/Federalist
1820
44th
State Senate
Federalist
Henry Molleston
Speaker
Kent "at-large"
###@@@KEYEND@@@###

Notes

References

*cite book |title = History of the State of Delaware |last= Conrad |first= Henry C. |coauthors= |work= |publisher= Wickersham Company |location= Lancaster, Pennsylvania |pages= |year= 1908 |id=
*cite book |title= A History of Delaware Through its Governors |last= Martin |first= Roger A. |coauthors= |work= |publisher= McClafferty Press |location= Wilmington, Delaware |pages= |year= 1984 |id=
*cite book |title= Memoirs of the Senate |last= Martin |first= Roger A. |coauthors= |work= |publisher= Roger A. Martin |location= Newark, Delaware |pages= |year= 1995 |id=
*cite book |title= History of Delaware 1609-1888. 2 vols |last= Scharf |first= John Thomas |coauthors= |work= |publisher= L. J. Richards & Co |location= Philadelphia |pages= |year= 1888 |id= ISBN 0-87413-493-5

External links

* [http://www.nga.org/portal/site/nga/menuitem.29fab9fb4add37305ddcbeeb501010a0/?vgnextoid=21ea224971c81010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD&vgnextchannel=e449a0ca9e3f1010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD Jacob Stout at the "Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States"]
* [http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/stout.html#RKD0IFTPN The Political Graveyard ]
*Find A Grave|id=7493850
* [http://www.russpickett.com/history/delgov2.htm#stout Jacob Stout at "Delaware’s Governors"]

Places with more information

* [http://www.hsd.org/ Historical Society of Delaware] , 505 Market St., Wilmington, Delaware [phone]
* [http://www.lib.udel.edu/ University of Delaware Library] , 181 South College Ave., Newark, Delaware [phone]