Jacob Stout
Encyclopedia
Jacob Stout 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.
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 until 1847. 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.
, 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. In 1822 Stout was named a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas.
{|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
|
| |Federalist
| |vacant
|
| |Federalist
| |Nathan Vickers
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.
{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
|-bgcolor=#cccccc
!colspan=7 style="background: #ccccff;" |Public Offices
|-
! Office
! Type
! Location
! Began office
! Ended office
! notes
|-
|State Representative
|Legislature
|Dover
|January 5, 1813
|January 4, 1814
|
|-
|State Representative
|Legislature
|Dover
|January 4, 1814
|January 3, 1815
|
|-
|State Senator
|Legislature
|Dover
|January 2, 1816
|January 5, 1819
|
|-
|State Senator
|Legislature
|Dover
|January 5, 1819
|January 18, 1820
|
|-
|Governor
|Executive
|Dover
|January 18, 1820
|January 16, 1821
|acting
{|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
|-
|1813
|37th
|State House
|Federalist
|Joseph Haslet
|
|Kent at-large
|-
|1814
|38th
|State House
|Federalist
|Daniel Rodney
|
|Kent at-large
|-
|1816
|40th
|State Senate
|Federalist
|Daniel Rodney
|
|Kent at-large
|-
|1817
|41st
|State Senate
|Federalist
|John Clark
|
|Kent at-large
|-
|1818
|42nd
|State Senate
|Federalist
|John Clark
|
|Kent at-large
|-
|1819
|43rd
|State Senate
|Federalist
|John Clark
|
|Kent at-large
|-
|1820
|44th
|State Senate
|Federalist
|Henry Molleston
|Speaker
|Kent at-large
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
manufacturer and politician from Little Creek Hundred, in Kent County, Delaware
Kent County, Delaware
Kent County is a county located in the central part of the U.S. state of Delaware. It is coextensive with the Dover, Delaware, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010 the population was 162,310, a 28.1% increase over the previous decade. The county seat is Dover, the state capital...
. He was a member of the Federalist Party
Federalist Party (United States)
The Federalist Party was the first American political party, from the early 1790s to 1816, the era of the First Party System, with remnants lasting into the 1820s. The Federalists controlled the federal government until 1801...
, who served in the Delaware General Assembly and as Governor of Delaware.
Early life and family
Stout was probably born in Little Creek Hundred, Kent County, Delaware, son of Jacob Emanuel Stout and his 2d wife 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 LeipsicLeipsic, Delaware
Leipsic is a town in Kent County, Delaware, United States. It is part of the Dover, Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 183 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Leipsic is located at ....
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
Smyrna, Delaware
Smyrna is a town in Kent and New Castle counties in the U.S. state of Delaware. It is part of the Dover, Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area...
Bank from 1844 until 1847. They were members of the Presbyterian Church.
Stout had a tannery in Dover
Dover, Delaware
The city of Dover is the capital and second largest city in the U.S. state of Delaware. It is also the county seat of Kent County, and the principal city of the Dover, Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Kent County. It is located on the St. Jones River in the Delaware...
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.
Professional and 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 MollestonHenry Molleston
Dr. Henry Molleston, III was an American physician and politician from Dover, in Kent County, Delaware. He was a member of the Federalist, who served in the Delaware General Assembly, and was elected Governor of Delaware, but died before taking office.-Early life and family:Molleston was born in...
, 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. In 1822 Stout was named a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas.
{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
|-bgcolor=#cccccc
!colspan=12 style="background: #ccccff;" |Delaware General Assembly
Delaware General Assembly
The Delaware General Assembly is the legislature of the U.S. state of Delaware. It is a bicameral legislature composed of the Delaware Senate with 21 Senators and the Delaware House of Representatives with 41 Representatives...
(sessions while Governor)
|-
!Year
!Assembly
!
!Senate Majority
!Speaker
!
!House Majority
!Speaker
|-
|1820
|44th
Delaware General Assembly
The Delaware General Assembly is the legislature of the U.S. state of Delaware. It is a bicameral legislature composed of the Delaware Senate with 21 Senators and the Delaware House of Representatives with 41 Representatives...
|
| |Federalist
Federalist Party (United States)
The Federalist Party was the first American political party, from the early 1790s to 1816, the era of the First Party System, with remnants lasting into the 1820s. The Federalists controlled the federal government until 1801...
| |vacant
|
| |Federalist
Federalist Party (United States)
The Federalist Party was the first American political party, from the early 1790s to 1816, the era of the First Party System, with remnants lasting into the 1820s. The Federalists controlled the federal government until 1801...
| |Nathan Vickers
Death and legacy
Stout died at his home in Little Creek Hundred, Kent County. At first he was buried at his home, but later was moved and is now buried in the Old Presbyterian Cemetery, which is at Dover, on the grounds of the Delaware State Museum.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
! Began office
! Ended office
! notes
|-
|State Representative
Delaware House of Representatives
The Delaware House of Representatives is the lower house of the Delaware General Assembly; the state legislature of the U.S. State of Delaware. It is composed of 41 Representatives from an equal amount of constituencies, each of whom is elected to a two year term. The Delaware General Assembly...
|Legislature
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
|Dover
Dover, Delaware
The city of Dover is the capital and second largest city in the U.S. state of Delaware. It is also the county seat of Kent County, and the principal city of the Dover, Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Kent County. It is located on the St. Jones River in the Delaware...
|January 5, 1813
|January 4, 1814
|
|-
|State Representative
Delaware House of Representatives
The Delaware House of Representatives is the lower house of the Delaware General Assembly; the state legislature of the U.S. State of Delaware. It is composed of 41 Representatives from an equal amount of constituencies, each of whom is elected to a two year term. The Delaware General Assembly...
|Legislature
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
|Dover
Dover, Delaware
The city of Dover is the capital and second largest city in the U.S. state of Delaware. It is also the county seat of Kent County, and the principal city of the Dover, Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Kent County. It is located on the St. Jones River in the Delaware...
|January 4, 1814
|January 3, 1815
|
|-
|State Senator
Delaware Senate
The Delaware Senate is the upper house of the Delaware General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. State of Delaware. It is composed of 21 Senators, each of whom is elected to a four-year term, except when reapportionment occurs, at which time Senators may be elected to a two-year term....
|Legislature
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
|Dover
Dover, Delaware
The city of Dover is the capital and second largest city in the U.S. state of Delaware. It is also the county seat of Kent County, and the principal city of the Dover, Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Kent County. It is located on the St. Jones River in the Delaware...
|January 2, 1816
|January 5, 1819
|
|-
|State Senator
Delaware Senate
The Delaware Senate is the upper house of the Delaware General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. State of Delaware. It is composed of 21 Senators, each of whom is elected to a four-year term, except when reapportionment occurs, at which time Senators may be elected to a two-year term....
|Legislature
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
|Dover
Dover, Delaware
The city of Dover is the capital and second largest city in the U.S. state of Delaware. It is also the county seat of Kent County, and the principal city of the Dover, Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Kent County. It is located on the St. Jones River in the Delaware...
|January 5, 1819
|January 18, 1820
|
|-
|Governor
|Executive
Executive (government)
Executive branch of Government is the part of government that has sole authority and responsibility for the daily administration of the state bureaucracy. The division of power into separate branches of government is central to the idea of the separation of powers.In many countries, the term...
|Dover
Dover, Delaware
The city of Dover is the capital and second largest city in the U.S. state of Delaware. It is also the county seat of Kent County, and the principal city of the Dover, Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Kent County. It is located on the St. Jones River in the Delaware...
|January 18, 1820
|January 16, 1821
|acting
{|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
|-
|1813
|37th
Delaware General Assembly
The Delaware General Assembly is the legislature of the U.S. state of Delaware. It is a bicameral legislature composed of the Delaware Senate with 21 Senators and the Delaware House of Representatives with 41 Representatives...
|State House
Delaware House of Representatives
The Delaware House of Representatives is the lower house of the Delaware General Assembly; the state legislature of the U.S. State of Delaware. It is composed of 41 Representatives from an equal amount of constituencies, each of whom is elected to a two year term. The Delaware General Assembly...
|Federalist
Federalist Party (United States)
The Federalist Party was the first American political party, from the early 1790s to 1816, the era of the First Party System, with remnants lasting into the 1820s. The Federalists controlled the federal government until 1801...
|Joseph Haslet
Joseph Haslet
Joseph Haslet was an American planter and politician from Cedar Creek Village in Cedar Creek Hundred, Sussex County, Delaware. He was a member of the Democratic-Republican Party, who served twice as Governor of Delaware....
|
|Kent at-large
Kent County, Delaware
Kent County is a county located in the central part of the U.S. state of Delaware. It is coextensive with the Dover, Delaware, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010 the population was 162,310, a 28.1% increase over the previous decade. The county seat is Dover, the state capital...
|-
|1814
|38th
Delaware General Assembly
The Delaware General Assembly is the legislature of the U.S. state of Delaware. It is a bicameral legislature composed of the Delaware Senate with 21 Senators and the Delaware House of Representatives with 41 Representatives...
|State House
Delaware House of Representatives
The Delaware House of Representatives is the lower house of the Delaware General Assembly; the state legislature of the U.S. State of Delaware. It is composed of 41 Representatives from an equal amount of constituencies, each of whom is elected to a two year term. The Delaware General Assembly...
|Federalist
Federalist Party (United States)
The Federalist Party was the first American political party, from the early 1790s to 1816, the era of the First Party System, with remnants lasting into the 1820s. The Federalists controlled the federal government until 1801...
|Daniel Rodney
Daniel Rodney
Daniel Rodney was an American merchant and politician from Lewes, in Sussex County, Delaware. He was a member of the Federalist Party, and later the National Republican Party, who served as Governor of Delaware, U. S. Representative from Delaware and U.S...
|
|Kent at-large
Kent County, Delaware
Kent County is a county located in the central part of the U.S. state of Delaware. It is coextensive with the Dover, Delaware, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010 the population was 162,310, a 28.1% increase over the previous decade. The county seat is Dover, the state capital...
|-
|1816
|40th
Delaware General Assembly
The Delaware General Assembly is the legislature of the U.S. state of Delaware. It is a bicameral legislature composed of the Delaware Senate with 21 Senators and the Delaware House of Representatives with 41 Representatives...
|State Senate
Delaware Senate
The Delaware Senate is the upper house of the Delaware General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. State of Delaware. It is composed of 21 Senators, each of whom is elected to a four-year term, except when reapportionment occurs, at which time Senators may be elected to a two-year term....
|Federalist
Federalist Party (United States)
The Federalist Party was the first American political party, from the early 1790s to 1816, the era of the First Party System, with remnants lasting into the 1820s. The Federalists controlled the federal government until 1801...
|Daniel Rodney
Daniel Rodney
Daniel Rodney was an American merchant and politician from Lewes, in Sussex County, Delaware. He was a member of the Federalist Party, and later the National Republican Party, who served as Governor of Delaware, U. S. Representative from Delaware and U.S...
|
|Kent at-large
Kent County, Delaware
Kent County is a county located in the central part of the U.S. state of Delaware. It is coextensive with the Dover, Delaware, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010 the population was 162,310, a 28.1% increase over the previous decade. The county seat is Dover, the state capital...
|-
|1817
|41st
Delaware General Assembly
The Delaware General Assembly is the legislature of the U.S. state of Delaware. It is a bicameral legislature composed of the Delaware Senate with 21 Senators and the Delaware House of Representatives with 41 Representatives...
|State Senate
Delaware Senate
The Delaware Senate is the upper house of the Delaware General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. State of Delaware. It is composed of 21 Senators, each of whom is elected to a four-year term, except when reapportionment occurs, at which time Senators may be elected to a two-year term....
|Federalist
Federalist Party (United States)
The Federalist Party was the first American political party, from the early 1790s to 1816, the era of the First Party System, with remnants lasting into the 1820s. The Federalists controlled the federal government until 1801...
|John Clark
John Clark (governor)
John Clark was an American farmer and politician from Blackbird Hundred in New Castle County, Delaware, near Smyrna...
|
|Kent at-large
Kent County, Delaware
Kent County is a county located in the central part of the U.S. state of Delaware. It is coextensive with the Dover, Delaware, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010 the population was 162,310, a 28.1% increase over the previous decade. The county seat is Dover, the state capital...
|-
|1818
|42nd
Delaware General Assembly
The Delaware General Assembly is the legislature of the U.S. state of Delaware. It is a bicameral legislature composed of the Delaware Senate with 21 Senators and the Delaware House of Representatives with 41 Representatives...
|State Senate
Delaware Senate
The Delaware Senate is the upper house of the Delaware General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. State of Delaware. It is composed of 21 Senators, each of whom is elected to a four-year term, except when reapportionment occurs, at which time Senators may be elected to a two-year term....
|Federalist
Federalist Party (United States)
The Federalist Party was the first American political party, from the early 1790s to 1816, the era of the First Party System, with remnants lasting into the 1820s. The Federalists controlled the federal government until 1801...
|John Clark
John Clark (governor)
John Clark was an American farmer and politician from Blackbird Hundred in New Castle County, Delaware, near Smyrna...
|
|Kent at-large
Kent County, Delaware
Kent County is a county located in the central part of the U.S. state of Delaware. It is coextensive with the Dover, Delaware, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010 the population was 162,310, a 28.1% increase over the previous decade. The county seat is Dover, the state capital...
|-
|1819
|43rd
Delaware General Assembly
The Delaware General Assembly is the legislature of the U.S. state of Delaware. It is a bicameral legislature composed of the Delaware Senate with 21 Senators and the Delaware House of Representatives with 41 Representatives...
|State Senate
Delaware Senate
The Delaware Senate is the upper house of the Delaware General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. State of Delaware. It is composed of 21 Senators, each of whom is elected to a four-year term, except when reapportionment occurs, at which time Senators may be elected to a two-year term....
|Federalist
Federalist Party (United States)
The Federalist Party was the first American political party, from the early 1790s to 1816, the era of the First Party System, with remnants lasting into the 1820s. The Federalists controlled the federal government until 1801...
|John Clark
John Clark (governor)
John Clark was an American farmer and politician from Blackbird Hundred in New Castle County, Delaware, near Smyrna...
|
|Kent at-large
Kent County, Delaware
Kent County is a county located in the central part of the U.S. state of Delaware. It is coextensive with the Dover, Delaware, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010 the population was 162,310, a 28.1% increase over the previous decade. The county seat is Dover, the state capital...
|-
|1820
|44th
Delaware General Assembly
The Delaware General Assembly is the legislature of the U.S. state of Delaware. It is a bicameral legislature composed of the Delaware Senate with 21 Senators and the Delaware House of Representatives with 41 Representatives...
|State Senate
Delaware Senate
The Delaware Senate is the upper house of the Delaware General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. State of Delaware. It is composed of 21 Senators, each of whom is elected to a four-year term, except when reapportionment occurs, at which time Senators may be elected to a two-year term....
|Federalist
Federalist Party (United States)
The Federalist Party was the first American political party, from the early 1790s to 1816, the era of the First Party System, with remnants lasting into the 1820s. The Federalists controlled the federal government until 1801...
|Henry Molleston
Henry Molleston
Dr. Henry Molleston, III was an American physician and politician from Dover, in Kent County, Delaware. He was a member of the Federalist, who served in the Delaware General Assembly, and was elected Governor of Delaware, but died before taking office.-Early life and family:Molleston was born in...
|Speaker
Speaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
|Kent at-large
Kent County, Delaware
Kent County is a county located in the central part of the U.S. state of Delaware. It is coextensive with the Dover, Delaware, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010 the population was 162,310, a 28.1% increase over the previous decade. The county seat is Dover, the state capital...
External links
- Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States
- Delaware’s Governors
- Find a Grave
- The Political Graveyard
Places with more information
- Delaware Historical SocietyDelaware Historical SocietyThe Delaware Historical Society began in 1864 as an effort to preserve documents from the Civil War. Since then, it has expanded into a state-wide historical institution with several venues and a major museum in Wilmington and the historic Read House & Gardens in New Castle.The society...
; website; 505 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801; (302) 655-7161 - University of DelawareUniversity of DelawareThe university is organized into seven colleges:* College of Agriculture and Natural Resources* College of Arts and Sciences* Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics* College of Earth, Ocean and Environment* College of Education and Human Development...
; Library website; 181 South College Avenue, Newark, Delaware 19717; (302) 831-2965