History of Laurel, (Sussex County) Delaware United States of America

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Biographies:

Richard Rollad Kenney, senator, was born at Laurel, Sussex county, Del., Sept. 9, 1856; son of Samuel and Hertie (Short) Kenney; grandson of Samuel Kenny, Sr., and a descendant of Solomon Short. He was graduated from Laurel Classical institute, Del., in 1874; studied law under Willard Salisbury, of Dover, Del.; was admitted to the bar, Oct. 19, 1881, and settled in practice at Dover, Del. He was state librarian, 1879-86; adjutant-general of the state, 1887-91; & delegate to the Democratic national convention of 1892; a member of the Democratic national committee, 1896, and was elected U.S. senator, Jan. 19, 1897, for the remainder of the term from March 3, 1895, for which the legislature failed to elect a senator to succeed Senator Higgins. Senator Kenney took his seat, Feb. 3, 1897, his term expiring, March 3, 1901.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

John Anthony Nicholson, representative, was born in Laurel, Del., Nov. 17, 1827; son of Jacob Cannon and Susan Fauntleroy (Quarles) Nicholson; grandson of Francis West and Lucy Dangerfield (Smith) Quarles, and a descendant of Moore Fauntleroy of Naylor's Hole, who came to Virginia in 1643, and of Col. William Dangerfield, and Merriwether Smith, both of Virginia. He attended an academy in Nelson county, Va., matriculated at Dickinson college in the class of 1847, but left in 1845 to study law in Dover, Del., with Martin W. Bates. He began practice in 1850, having married Angelica K. Reed of Dover in 1848. He was appointed superintendent of the free schools for Kent county, Del., in 1851, and was made brigadier-general of Kent county militia in 1861. He was a member of the Democratic national committee, 1864-68, a representative in the 39th and 40th congresses from the state-at-large, 1865-69, and opposed the impeachment measures. In 1902 he resided in Kent county, Del.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor