William D. Denney

William Hamel You Denney ( born March 31, 1873 in Dover, Delaware, † November 21, 1953 in Elsmere, Delaware ) was an American politician and 1921-1925 Governor of the State of Delaware.

Early years

William Denney attended the Wesleyan Collegiate Institute in Dover. He then became active in the insurance sector. Among other things, he was employed by the Hartford Fire Insurance Company and at the Dover Insurance Agency. During World War II he was a lieutenant in the U.S. Army. His marching orders to France but was repeatedly postponed and eventually canceled. In this way, it is a combat mission was spared.

Political rise

Denney was a member of the Republican Party. Between 1905 and 1907 he was a member and President of the House of Representatives from Delaware. In 1908, he was appointed a delegate to the Republican National Convention, on the William Howard Taft 's presidential candidate. From 1907 to 1913 Denney was private secretary to U.S. Senator Harry A. Richardson. In 1920 he was elected as a candidate of his party with 55 % of the vote against Andrew J. Lynch, the Democratic candidate for governor of his state.

Governor of Delaware

William Denney took up his new post on 18 January 1921. During this time, the school system was reformed again. With the " School Law of 1921 ," the school system was no longer funded by the county, but with the help of a tax directly by the State of Delaware. Here, a Board of Education was founded together. In Denneys term of office health and the Transport Committee of the State have been restructured. at the same time the so-called Child Welfare Commission was launched, which was concerned with the welfare of children. expansion of the road network was a breeze in those years ahead.

The appointment of T. Coleman du Pont in 1922 for U.S. Senator was very controversial in Delaware. Du Pont was one of the richest men in the state and had financed his money some government and party projects. At that time the suspicion that he had bought the Senator office was created. In the next Congressional elections, he was voted out.

Further CV

Even after his governorship Denney remained politically active. In 1931 he was appointed acting Secretary of State of Delaware, and in 1940 he was commissioner of the state for motor vehicles ( Commissioner for the State Motor Vehicle Commission). From 1941 to 1948 he served as State Librarian, the state archives of Delaware. Since 1920 until his death he was on the board of his Republican Party in his state. In 1924 and 1928 he was again a delegate to the respective national conventions of his party. William Denney died in November 1953., With his wife Alice Goodwin he had two children.